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The Collegian, April 24, 2026

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Collegian

Convocation honors Grovers

Garrett and Sikora are Man and Woman of the Year

John Garrett and Julia Sikora were honored as the 2026 Senior Man and Woman during Grove City College’s Recognition Convocation held Wednesday.

Attended by faculty, family and students, President Bradley Lingo opened the event with a reminder of the event’s central purpose.

“Tonight we celebrate excellence,” Lingo said. “Every speaker that we honor reflects our shared conviction that excellence matters and that it’s worth pursuing with our whole selves.”

Highly involved on campus and excelling in their academic areas of study, Garrett and Sikora were nominated by fellow students and “selected by a committee comprised of faculty, administrators and student members of ODK and Mortar Board”.

Known to many as the college’s executive student body president, Sikora is an education major whose presence, as Lingo said, “has become a rhythm in campus life.”

Upon receiving the award, Sikora made it a point to refocus the audience’s attention on Christ. Reciting Psalm 115:1, she said, “Not unto us, O Lord,

College hires deans

Olivia

Grove City College’s Calderwood School of Arts and Letters and Hopeman School of Science, Engineering and Mathematics have appointed new deans to lead the schools. These roles begin July 1, 2026.

The Calderwood School dean will be Dr. Seulgi Byun, professor of biblical and theological studies, and the Hopeman School dean will be Dr. Joshua Snyder, an alumnus who is currently a professor at Duke University School of Medicine.

Homan is ODK prof of the year

Kristin Homan earned Omnicom Delta Kappa’s (ODK) Professor of the Year award on the eve of her retirement.

Homan is a professor of psychology and has been teaching at the school for 13 years. She has been a resident of Grove City for 35 years with her husband, Timothy Homan, the 2002 recipient of the ODK Professor of the Year award.

In her time here, Homan taught a variety of psychology courses.

“At a small school, you teach a lot of different things, and it’s actually pretty great, because you get to change up what you do,” Homan said.

She has taught abnormal psychology and adult development classes, with a recent focus on statistics and research methods. Intro courses are some of her favorites.

“I just get to teach (students) about the best, most exciting, HOMAN 14

Poll insights on GCC and AI

The Collegian poll conducted last week found that more Grovers hold negative associations with artificial intelligence (AI) than positive, with 46% of the 377 students polled responding that their associations with AI were negative or very negative, while only 25% responded positive or very positive.

The poll revealed Grovers are more optimistic about the opportunities AI might create than numbers found in national surveys. Grovers do not think AI should be used to write sermons; they use AI for companionship at much lower numbers than other college students, they primarily use AI for summarizing and gathering information and are mostly opposed to using AI for creative tasks.

“I look forward to working closely with Dean Byun and Dean Snyder,” College President Bradley Lingo said. “They exemplify the kind of leaders we seek at Grove City College — leaders of deep faith, strong alignment with our mission and genuine love for our college and our students.”

Byun is an Old Testament scholar who specializes in the prophetic books and ear-

The Collegian found that when asked whether they believed AI would create more opportunities for them or take away more opportunities, 46% thought it would take away more opportunities, and 23% thought AI would create more opportunities.

However, Grovers were more optimistic than college students nationally. Comparatively, the Fall 2025 Harvard Youth Poll reported that only 16% of college students polled believed AI would create more opportunities for them, and 45% believed it would take

The Collegian poll found that freshmen are the most resistant to AI and students belonging to the Winklevoss School of Business believe AI will create more opportunities for them.

away more opportunities.

There is a stark contrast between poll respondents belonging to the Calderwood School of Arts and Letters and the Winklevoss School of Business. Sixty percent of Calderwood students believe AI will take away more opportunities for them, while only 25% think it will create more opportunities. Twenty-six percent of Winklevoss students think AI will take away more opportunities, and 42% think it will create more opportunities.

“Business students see AI the way most professionals now do, as a tool that, used well, expands what is possible,” Assistant Professor of Business Analytics Ryan Miller said.

Miller went on to explain that this perspective explains why Winklevoss students have higher AI usage rates and are more optimistic about the opportunities AI might create.

“AI (is) a natural instrument for them,” he said. “They are focused on things like efficien

cy, productivity and increasing profitability, and they are preparing for professional environments where AI fluency is already an expectation.

“What I would caution against is reading this as a story where one group is simply right and the other wrong. Arts and humanities students are often working from a different tradition, one that understands education as praxis, the kind of formative action

GCC
Julia Sikora and John Garrett were selected as the 2026 Senior Man and Woman of the Year.
HOMAN
BYUN SNYDER

Coming up! (to the Tower)

Thank you for reading The Collegian. This year has had so many ups and downs, but we think that we are on an upward trajectory to end the year. With Grove City College’s 150th anniversary celebrations long underway, it is hard not to celebrate and believe that now is a great time to be a Grover.

We at The Collegian also believe we are ending the year at our best, and we are excited to help lead The Collegian into a new year..

~Matthew Purucker and Luke Paglia

If you are like me, the end of the school year brings change, and change is often bittersweet. I will miss our graduating friends, including our senior editorial staff: Emily, Kathryna, Mia, John and Tava.

But I am also eager to be the next editor-in-chief of The Collegian. I have aspired to this role since I decided to enroll at Grove City exactly two years ago. As a threeyear sports intern with Pittsburgh’s Tribune-Review, I am looking forward to using the skills I have learned in the news industry to help propel The Collegian into a new era.

I cannot thank you enough for your support of the newspaper, and as we enter the new year this fall, The Collegian will look different, with its names and faces within changed, but our commitment to you will only improve.

Matthew Purucker

Incoming Editor-in-Chief

It was not that long ago that I was just a freshman on the sidelines of Don Lyle Field. I was taking pictures of the women’s lacrosse game when a fellow photographer told me that I should reach out to Grace David, my predecessor as photo chief, about taking photos for The Collegian. Next thing I knew, I was its next photo chief. I was thrown into this role with not the slightest clue about newspapers or journalistic photography.

After we published our first couple of issues, I started to get the hang of it and enjoyed the role of photo chief. However, I always said it would end there. I never saw myself doing anything more than taking pictures, because after all, I am not the fondest of writing. Well, fast forward to today, and I am getting ready to step into the role of managing editor. I did not see this coming, nor did I ever think I wanted this role, but I could not be more excited to see what this next challenge has to offer.

Luke Paglia Incoming Managing Editor

Collegian Staff

Emily Fox

Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Board

Matthew Purucker

News Editor

Anastasia Brown

Community Editor

Christa Bashinski

Entertainment Editor

John Hatzis

Perspectives Editor

Mia Gallagher

Sports Editor

Staff Writers

Mara Brak

Madelyn Braho

Randall Elvin

Alexandria Fox

Garrett Gess

Natalie Hanna

Andrew Hutchinson

Julia Kramer

Olivia Massucci

Reagan Thomas

Eli Wick

Art & Photography

Luke Paglia

Photo Chief

Mara Barrick

Comic Strip Artist

This

Kathryna Hoyman Managing Editor

Editing

Olivia Emerick

Copy Chief

Copy Editors

Anna Kasianides

Kendall Lambrecht

Madison Miller

Jaci Morell

Bonnie Pittman

Vivian Waner

Advertising

John Remaniak

Business Manager

Tava Derr

Social Media Manager

Advisory

Nick Hildebrand

Staff Advisor

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.

This is our last issue of the year!

Thank you for reading, and we’ll see you next year! - The Collegian staff

The story behind Family Weekend

As another year at Grove City College comes to a close, an opportunity to reflect on the achievements earned, the friendships made, the trophies won and the faith gained is upon us once again.

At other schools, finals, baccalaureate and graduation are the traditions that bring the academic year to a close. But at Grove City, we have another tradition that makes the end of the year all the more special: Family Weekend.

This weekend, the college will welcome the families of its students to its hallowed halls and grounds, offering moments for celebration, fellowship and fun.

But where did this tradition come from, when did it begin and how did it reach the for

mat we enjoy today?

Well, for this final 150 reflection of the semester, it seems fitting to dive into the history of this time-honored Grove City College tradition.

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, colleges across the country celebrated May Day and the pageantry that accompanied it. Grove City College was no exception, as its first documented May Day celebrations date back to the early 1900s.

But what exactly is May Day, and what did this celebration entail?

“May Day is a holiday that is celebrated on May 1. It goes back to a centuries-old Celtic tradition, serving as an awakening of spring and kind of like a festival of flowers,” Director of College Archives and Galleries Hilary Walczak ’09 said.

Traditional May Day festivities included raising and dancing around may poles (which were colored structures with ribbons fixed to the top), creating flower wreaths/crowns, selecting a May Court and crowning a May queen. The court and queen were composed of senior women, almost making the May Day festivities a celebration of these women and their accomplishments.

According to the College Archives website, “although a pageant would not be held on campus for more than a decade, Grove City College’s first May queen was actually crowned in 1905. Senior Madge (Faloon) Thompson ’05 was chosen by the undergraduate girls of the college, who planned the event to honor women of the senior class.”

In 1916, the college — with the help of then Dean of Women Lois Cory Thompson — transformed the originally student-driven effort into an elaborate pageant. Under this new official model, the college recognized its first annual May queen, Lula (Caven) Heckathorne ’16.

Around this same time, another little May Day tradition

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.

began: May baskets.

“May baskets were a fun little tradition. Sweethearts or children would create these baskets full of flowers, trinkets and treats and leave them on the women’s dorm doors. They would knock on the door, yell ‘May basket’ and try to run away unseen,” Walczak said.

“If the recipient of the basket caught the giver, it is said that the tradition was to give them a kiss on the cheek,” Walczak said.

According to tradition, the coronation of the May queen could officially begin once the baskets had been distributed.

In the 1920s, the May Day festivities reached a new level of complexity and theatrics. This effort was led by then Director of Women’s Athletics Esther Poster and included elaborate dances and plays set to the theme of that year’s festival. Over time, the simple dance acts were combined to form the Spring Dance Company performance, known today as Spring Orchesis.

The year 1957 marked several important changes to the May Day festivities. It was during this celebration that President J. Stanley Harker rechristened May Day as Parents Day. Prior to this change, Parents Day had been celebrated in the fall. But as the college’s fall Homecoming festivities continued to grow, Harker reasoned that mov-

ing Parents Day to the spring would be beneficial to students and parents alike.

During the same year, Harker added two new events to the Parents Day/May Day lineup: Recognition Convocation and Greek Sing.

Both events remain staples of the college’s end-of-year activities today. But while Convocation has remained relatively unchanged over the years, Greek Sing has evolved extensively.

“It was added to Parent’s Day as a way to highlight involvement in Greek Life to the families of members. In the early 1960s each Greek group had to assign a theme to their section and performed at least two songs,” Walczak said.

In 1973, the college extended the event to include independent groups as well, resulting in the name changed from Greek Sing to All-College Sing. By 1975, male housing groups began to join the festivities as well, truly making this an all-college event.

“When it started, it was just groups standing up on risers, singing songs, prim and proper. Over the years, however, some groups were a little bit more rebellious and it kind of led the way for what we have today,” Walczak said.

These “rebellious” acts began when the brothers of Delta Iota Kappa performed a “risque and rude” version of

All-College Sing is a Family Weekend staple introduced in the 1950s.
GCC
Elaborate pageants and a May queen were part of the celebration.
Students dance around a May pole in the early 20th century.

Orchesis: ‘On the Radio’

Spring show highlights hits through the decades

Spring is in the air, and accompanying the warm weather and sunshine is the 2026 Orchesis spring show!

This year, Orchesis is kicked off the events of Family Weekend, with the first of three shows taking place yesterday.

This semester’s Orchesis theme is “On the Radio,” with the songs for each performance highlighting a different era in music from the decades of the past century.

While the goal of this theme is largely to highlight cultural shifts across time and help celebrate the college’s 150th anniversary, student performers are more focused on the enjoyment they get from dancing to these songs.

“Traveling through the decades has been really neat, and … you just get a really good soundtrack overall. (There’s) super good music to look forward to,” senior Abigail Helsel said.

Each year, Spring Orchesis also serves as a final bow-out for our seniors, many of whom have been performing in Orchesis for most, if not all, of their college career.

“It’s been a special experience. I think the most important thing is there’s this overwhelming sense of gratitude that I’ve gotten to be a part of this whatsoever … to pour myself into this for eight semesters now. I’ve never known Grove City without Orchesis,”

said Helsel, who has done Orchesis “eight out of eight semesters” of her time at Grove City, following in her mother’s footsteps.

Another senior, John Remaniak, describes the feeling as “bittersweet,” with an emphasis on cherishing his last moments in the program.

Helsel’s message younger members of Orchesis is to “Put your heart and soul into it. Don’t worry about being perfect, but … just soak up every minute. Love all the people around you, take care of them well, love and serve those in the company with you.”

“Cherish being able to do this in college, cause it’s really, really hard to find stuff (like this) outside of it … it’s really hard to find that outside of the college atmosphere. Just have fun being in the moment. It’s not something you get to have a lot of. So just be there,” Remaniak added.

While the seniors say their goodbyes to Orchesis, there are several people who are performing for the first time this semester. One such individual is sophomore Sawyer Ames.

“I wasn’t really planning to do it, but the guys’ dance also looked really fun, and so I went to their audition … and I got into that one,” he said.

Behind the scenes, there is also an entire team running the technology for the show. Everything from lighting, to audio, to broadcasting is handled by Media Services, who have been working tirelessly in preparation.

Sophomore Brady Larkin is primarily handling the lighting. He shared that he is excited about how the unique ideas for each dance, with the different choreographies working together, allow the dancers to use their God-given talents in this way, especially with this being the last time that the seniors get to do so.

Orchesis will take the stage twice more, tonight 8 p.m. and tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. in the Physical Learning Center Arena.

Goodbye to retiring professors

Grove City College would not be the place that it is without the dedication of the faculty and staff. It is evident that our professors are committed to working for the mission of the school, continuously supporting the students that come in and out of the classrooms and labs every year.

The college recognizes seven professors who will be retiring at the end of the academic year.

The student body would not be the same without their commitment to teaching, advising, mentoring and building relationships during their time at Grove City.

Among the retirees are Drs. Joseph Augspurger, Kristin Barbour, Glenn Marsch, Kristin Homan, Timothy Homan,

Andrew Markley and Stacy Paparone. All will be greatly missed by students and faculty alike. Augspurger, a professor of chemistry since 1996, reflected fondly on his experience at Grove City. Augspurger says that it was the “relationships between both the faculty and the students that make this the place that it is.”

over lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays.” He was grateful for the opportunity to meet faculty across multiple disciplines through this weekly tradition.

She enjoyed the opportunity to teach all of her classes, noting that “weirdly, I even like teaching statistics!”

Homan says that it makes her happy to mentor students through their senior research projects and when students enjoy classes “even a little bit.”

Augspurger served as the chair of the Chemistry Department from 2018 to 2024, and the most notable class he taught was Physical Chemistry. His favorite memory is “playing faculty basketball

He is excited for the opportunity to travel and visit his family more frequently in his retirement. Augspurger is looking forward to visiting his children in South Dakota and Guatemala, as well as traveling to the national parks in the Southwest. Kristen Homan, working with Grove City College since 1992, has made significant contributions in the field of psychology.

Though it is hard to choose one notable memory, she asserted that “every one of the memories that I treasure involves relationships with wonderful people that I got to know. I will definitely miss my ordinary, everyday interactions with students and colleagues.”

Homan and her husband, Timothy, plan to “make lots of trips to visit my adult children, (one of whom lives) in France.” She intends to continue learning French, volunteering for a local nonprofit that helps low-income families in crisis and anticipates finding other ways to volunteer. Homan “looks forward to continuing our many friendships with people in Grove City that we have known and loved for decades.”

Grove City College will certainly miss the professors that have become such an integral part of the campus community, and we wish all the retirees luck in this new chapter that God has in store for them.

Students dance en pointe during the spring Orchesis performance’s ballet sequence.
The “guys dance” is one of the most anticipated numbers.

Putting yourself out there

As an upperclassman who has never yet been asked out by someone I could genuinely see myself dating, the wait can feel long and lonely sometimes. I have lots of friends of both genders and am active in a variety of campus groups. To the best of my knowledge, I am not an unlikeable person, so I don’t think it’s for lack of “putting myself out there.” Any tips on what else to do?

-Still waiting for the prince to come

P.S. Your paper recently ran an article on the most attractive person on campus, and I was quite surprised that the Collegian’s own John Hatzis was not one of the people named. He is a man attractive inside and out, so I am surprised that (to the best of my knowledge) thus far unattached.

As the semester comes to a close, the pressure can mount as everyone pairs up and ships off for the summer. For upperclassmen, ring by spring has already happened, and now there’s nothing left to do but make sure you finish the semester strong. Many of my friends have gotten engaged, and I couldn’t be happier for them. However, finishing your

Dr. Love grand reveal!

With the semester wrapping up, it’s finally time to reveal who the real Dr. Love is. For two and a half years, I’ve given my expert adviwce to the romantic souls of Grove City College ’s campus.

I stumbled into this role halfway through my sophomore year by chance, not knowing what to expect. Looking back, my first few articles were a little stiff and cautious (please don’t look back for them). As time passed, you can more clearly hear my voice in recent editions of the newspaper. Over 40+ articles have been written by me and archived by The Collegian for generations to come.

Thank you to everyone who has read my column over the last few years. I loved seeing random people reading The Collegian in SAC or in HAL and noticing the page open to Dr. Love’s impeccable advice. There were even times I got

FRIDAY, APRIL 24

Wolverine Venture Battle

1 - 4 p.m., Sticht Lecture Hall

Engineering Senior Capstone Project Open House

3 - 5 p.m., Hoyt Hall

Student Art Exhibit

4 - 8 p.m., PFAC, Art Gallery

Computer Science and Data Science Senior Project Showcase

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., STEM Hall - Room 051

degree without dating anyone feels … off, especially when everyone has already found “the one.” My best advice is to live your life! Remember that a relationship is only supposed to add to the FULL life that you already have. It shouldn’t feel like a missing puzzle piece out of your ideal life track.

Dating to marry is always the goal. Don’t feel bad that the previous options weren’t someone you saw yourself with in the future. Think of it this way: You didn’t waste their time, and they didn’t waste yours.

Right now? I’d say focus on studying for finals and figuring out a way to pack up everything that’s spilling out of your dorm. I don’t think you’ll find your soulmate in the next seven days. There’s always that 0.01% chance that you’ll run into someone this next week that you haven’t seen in the last three to four years you have been here, but that’s doubtful.

God’s timeline is unknown to us, but all we can do is to trust in Him and let the pieces fall where He wills them to.

Yours auspiciously, M.B. (aka Dr. Love)

P.S. To the best of my knowledge, John Hatzis is currently unattached. If there’s some interest there, I would recommend shooting your shot before the semester ends :) Who knows who John Hatzis might meet during the balmy summer months?

to overhear what people truly thought of my advice, which was awesome.

I’d like to extend another huge thank you to the people who sent submissions in. I hope I answered all of your questions and solved your particular dilemma.

If you’ve figured out who I am by the end of this article and my time at the college, congratulations! You’re a regular detective. I dropped a few hints along the way, but perhaps not enough for you all to uncover my true identity.

Without further ado, here goes nothing!

Hi! I’m Mara Brak, a senior graduating with a B.S. in Design & Innovation and a PhD in love. I’ve enjoyed being Dr. Love so much! I’m going to miss solving love’s problems after graduation.

The “Hello,

Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!

Children’s theater is on a roll! Last year, they had a splendid performance of “Honk!” and this year they presented a delightful production of “Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!”

The show is an adaptation of beloved short stories from the 1950s, in which Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, the neighborhood “fairy” godmother, helps parents deliver commonsense and/or magical cures for common childish vices. The adaptation to the stage condensed the timeframe of six stories and added a musical number to each story.

And what an adaptation it was! As a childhood reader of the stories, it was truly wonderful to see how well the actors brought the characters to life. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was magical and delightful and unexpectedly talented in all the right directions. Each character from the six vignettes — even as part of the musical ensembles in other vignettes — simply were their characters whenever they were onstage. The animal characters were admirably presented and portrayed (which I’ll return to later). The musical numbers were the perfect tool for moving the stories through their dramatic arcs in a compressed timespan.

The individual cures were hilarious, poetic-justice solu-

tions to the kids’ vices. We watched, smiling, as a boy with terrible table manners learned practical etiquette from the genteel pig Lester and a clumsy girl found her balance with some dance magic from Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. We laughed as a girl’s rude answering back got held up in the tough-truth mirror of the saucy Penelope Parrot. We nodded when a chronic daydreamer got to share his dreams, but we were also urged to think of life with more wonder and moved to pondering as Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle helped a fraidy-cat see that shadows just remind us that there is a light.

And we all rocked along to perhaps the most memorable segment,“The Radish Cure,” which featured the most impressive singing and the most impressive costuming. Patsy wouldn’t bathe, and so her increasingly deep layer of topsoil received a copious quantity of radish seeds. These spectacularly sprouted onstage and proved the virtue of not loving dirt once and for all.

One key contributor to the whimsy and magic of the show was Anna Wolcott. I interviewed her and learned the technique and philosophy behind all the marvelous costuming in this play. According to her, based on her experience with “Honk!,” it was better to create the impression of the animal and its personality through outfits than to try to

Family Weekend schedule

One Acts 5:00 p.m., PFAC Little Theatre

Engineering Senior Capstone Project Presentations

6 - 9 p.m., Staley Hall of Arts and Letters

Symphonic Concert Band and Wind Ensemble Concert

7:30 p.m., Pew Fine Arts Center - Ketler Auditorium

Orchesis Spring 8 p.m., PLC Arena

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

Special Message from President Lingo '00 9:30 a.m., Breen Student Union

Legacy Breakfast 9:30 a.m., Carnegie Alumni Center Colonnade

Student Art Exhibit

10 a.m. -5 p.m., Pew Fine Arts Center Art Gallery

Orchesis Spring

11:30 a.m., PLC Arena

Baseball Double Header

vs. Thiel

1 p.m. AND 3:30 p.m., Baseball Fields

College Jazz Ensemble and Stage Band

1:30 p.m, PFAC, Ketler Auditorium

Young Life Ice Cream Social

2:00 p.m, Ketler Rec

One Acts

2:00 p.m., PFAC Little Theatre

Women's Lacrosse vs. Thiel

create an animal suit and “get too animal.”

Thus, for Penelope, she chose a pirate outfit — perfect for creating the impression of a parrot, especially if this pirate costume included some added feathers and featherish layers. She chose a mudbrown tweed suit and a brown bowler hat with ears for Lester the Pig, expertly conjuring the gentleman hog. Anna also succeeded masterfully with Patsy’s outfit — first clean, then filthy, then sprouting radishes, then finally clean again — all in the span of 10 minutes. She used layered costuming and some artfully concealed magnets (and possibly Velcro, given the sound effects) to produce her stage magic.

The show undeniably succeeded, and, according to senior director Tessa DiGuglielmo, despite last-minute changes, cuts and a threeshow grind of a day, everyone still got to do their best scene and song.

All said and done, I think the children’s theater show this year was very much a success, from song-and-dance numbers and costuming to special effects. If you went, you know that you couldn’t help but post a notecard of praise for the cast and crew on the corkboard. If you didn’t attend this year, I can only say that you missed a whole bundle of free-admission fun.

3:00 p.m., Lyle Soccer Field

One Acts

5:00 p.m., PFAC Little Theatre

All College Sing

7 p.m., PLC Arena

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

The Revelation Ringers Handbell Concert 2:00 p.m., Tower Church

Spring Choral ConcertHaydn's Creation

4:30 p.m., Harbison Chapel

Doctor Love
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle!” cast wows the audience with colorful and energetic dance numbers.
MARA BRAK

‘ALL THE LOVE’ for Kanye’s latest

“Kanye is back and a little unpolished, but nothing is perfect, nobody can bat a thousand,” junior Max Turner shared.

Kanye West, the architect of multiple era-defining albums, a multi-Grammy winner and one of the most influential producers of the 21st century, returns to the spotlight for all the right reasons.

Even amid high controversy, unpredictability and long gaps between releases, he still tops chart performance and streaming platforms. On March 28, Kanye dropped his latest album, “Bully,” on his website. Later, it hit streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, making it available to most listeners. “Bully”

was highly anticipated, and his fans love it.

From the start, the album feels raw and leans into minimalist production, dark tones and abrupt transitions. The project feels more like a collection of many ideas instead of a polished, clean album. Lyrically, his topics range from isolation, power, perception and redemption. Most of the time, it feels like he’s trying to convey his message of Kanye vs. the world, even alluding to another tension of Kanye versus himself.

If you only had time for one track on the new album, “ALL THE LOVE” is the most complete song. With beautiful production, an addictive hook and genuine emotion, this song is the true Kanye. The thematic music reminds listeners of one of his most popular songs,

“Flashing Lights.” Both songs have smooth, cinematic production filled with multiple layers. This style can be hard to name, especially considering how the music makes you feel, but it is incredibly similar in vibe to “Les” by Childish Gambino.

But this song doesn’t just sound powerful, it’s also powerful on a lyrical level. It listens like a response to everything Kanye is trying to leave behind.

In the wake of multiple bipolar manic episodes, he has apologized repeatedly and shows understanding of how he hurt various communities.

On this song, he says, “We don’t have to worry, and we don’t have to hold on to pain we left behind, wounds get healed with time and now you get all the love and all the

shine.” As Kanye sings those lyrics, he leans into the idea of being released from the past and moving beyond the pain.

Another strong song is “Father,” which features one of the greatest artists of our generation, Travis Scott. His presence fits the same dark undertone tempo that captures the track and album tone. Kanye and Travis love collaborating and truly bring the energy to the album with this release.

Still, “BULLY” struggles with consistency. A few songs lean too far into chaos and ideas that don’t fully come together. Many tracks feel unfinished, with underdeveloped hooks and rough-sounding verses.

This inconsistency mirrors Kanye’s current place in the world of entertainment. Controversy follows Kanye no

matter where he goes or what he says.

“Bully is stronger than his most recent, a tribute to his old album. He can’t be where he once was, but it’s a love letter to his old album, hitting back to his roots,” longtime Kanye fan and sophomore Cole Gartner said. “Obviously, he’s had mental health problems, but this is the start of him getting his priorities right.”

The album artwork does a lot of heavy lifting in displaying what the album is like. It immediately suggests aggression, conflict and boldness. The title suggests that “BULLY” is how Kanye feels the world is treating him.

If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure to pull it up on Google or Spotify, and while you’re at it, give Kanye’s music, and himself, another chance.

‘Project Hail Mary’ film: A success or a failure?

“Project Hail Mary” premiered in theatres on March 20, 2026.

The short and sweet? You should go and see it! Light spoilers ahead.

My critique of the movie stems from two main concerns. The first is the selfaware humor. It needs to stop.

Modern Hollywood loves it, and the producers must believe that audiences love it, but I am sick of it. It’s overdone.

Self-aware jokes are excellent to use as humor mix-ups. But if you use the mix-up every time, it ceases to be a mix-up. The subversion becomes an expectation. Overall, the humor in the movie was quite pleasant, and I had a lot of great laughs.

People in the theatre were clearly happy to be there. The producers just need to clean up the Marvel slop. Get it out of the script.

Now, on to more substantive things. The most important issue with the film is that it almost totally lacks conflict. In this context, the word

SENIOR continued from 1

not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.”

“Everything that I have been able to do at Grove City College and throughout my life has been through God’s provision,” Sikora said. “It is evident through the relationships that I have known and the community that I have witnessed here that this is God’s plan for me.”

Passionate about leadership and leaving Grove City better than she found it, Sikora encouraged students to follow God’s guidance as they sought

“conflict” has a very particular meaning. I am not talking about tension, crisis or the hero’s internal struggles. Amusingly enough, the story has all three of the aforementioned things without having a true conflict. Conflict, in the sense that I am using the word, is always a product of the interactions between characters.

to guide others, stating that, “God leads us so we can lead others.”

Garrett, mechanical engineering major, 2025 Homecoming King and leader in the New Life Ministry, was introduced by Lingo as a man who “has distinguished himself as a gifted leader and a man of even and steady faith.”

From the voices of fellow students, Garrett was lauded as “an incredibly gifted leader and enthusiastic member of our community” who “exemplifies the character of Jesus in all things.”

Similarly to Sikora, after receiving the award, Garrett pointed to Christ and to those

At its simplest, conflict is when someone fights someone else over something. Unfortunately, “Project Hail Mary” has none of this kind of conflict. Throughout most of the film, the two main characters work together in complete harmony to achieve the same goal. This is really boring. Usually, a mistake of this caliber would completely sink a film.

in his life who supported and challenged him throughout the years for bringing him to this point. Acknowledging he failed to prepare a speech due to the caliber of the other nominees, Garrett honored the Senior Man finalists.

“These men in the front pew are the reason I am here. … From the first semester here, these men have defined life and taught me how to seek Jesus with them for his glory,” Garrett said.

While praised for his humility, Garrett admitted that his first years of college were governed by a desire for recognition. However, he urged students to shift their perspec-

I shall now explain why the film is still floating. “Project Hail Mary” is carried by three elements: its music, set and sympathetic protagonists. The soundtrack was unique and fit really well with the film.

I’m not a music major, so I won’t pretend to give a more concrete evaluation. The set and music together create an atmosphere of majesty.

Watching the film is like taking a step into the lights of the universe.

As a movie to watch in a theatre, I found the spectacle to be more than satisfying. The same can be said for the two main characters. Ryan Gosling plays an “everyman” kind of character and does it to perfection.

The design choice for Rocky the alien was brilliant. It is the peak example of “aesthetically pleasing.”

Original alien design can be very difficult and always runs the risk of running into the Zerg (bug-like) vs. Protoss (energy crystals) dichotomy.

The film makers deftly navigated this by making Rocky into a little craftsman who works exclusively in geometri-

tives.

“Ask the Lord to help you delight in his smile and his praise, because you’re his child, and he’s the one worth pleasing, and that is the most satisfying thing you can do on this campus,” Garrett said.

Professor of the Year and central speaker of the event, Dr. Kristin Homan, echoed these statements and encouraged students who were being awarded to receive the academic validations in consideration of the ultimate validation they already possessed.

“There’s a problem that comes from trying to find meaning through striving, and that is it will never be enough.

cally satisfying shapes. Everything that the alien does is nice to look at.

Before I conclude this review, there are a couple more things I should mention. Despite not having a lot of character-driven conflict, the film does have a complete character arc. Gosling’s character is initially reluctant, but over the course of the movie, he endures trials and becomes the person to do the good.

This might seem like a bare minimum standard to meet — it is — but so few films released nowadays have this element that the movie deserves a little gold star just for crossing the finish line in this regard.

On another note, the film tells the story in a non-chronological fashion, but does so in a brilliant way that makes the finale have an incredible payoff.

Lastly, the film has a message that naturally stems from the story and is conducive to that very elusive (in Hollywood, anyway) thing known as human flourishing.

For that, it deserves an enthusiastic recommendation.

Martin Luther once said that in the quest for glory, you will never be satisfied. Whatever we see, our tendency is to always want more,” Homan said. “The good news of the gospel is that worth doesn’t rest on our achievements; it’s not up to us. Our worth as persons rests fully on the completed work of Christ.

“Rest in him, knowing that you have great worth. Rest in him, knowing that your worth doesn’t depend on you. Go ahead and just be who you were created to be,” Homan said.

Picture perfect

I have served as photo chief for The Collegian for two years now. I have thoroughly enjoyed this role, as it has opened my eyes to so many parts of Grove City College I would have never seen had I not taken photos of it.

I have had the pleasure of capturing many different events. A few of my best photos from my favorite events can be seen throughout this spread.

I will miss being photo chief greatly, as it was a way I was able to express my creativity. However, I will still have the opportunity to take photos all over campus for another year, and I am looking forward to taking on the role of managing editor for The Collegian.

2026 ODK Honorees

Introducing the finalists for senior man and woman of the year

Julia Sikora

Elizabethtown, Pa.

Sikora will graduate with a degree in science/history middle level education with minors in special education and Biblical & Religious Studies. A Trustee Scholar and the executive student body president, she has served on the Student Government Association all four years, with three years on the executive team. She has played clarinet for the Groev City College Pit Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and has been actively involved in Orientation Board, the Office of Admissions, IM sports, the Deeply Rooted Mentorship Program and the Wolverine Broadcast Network. Sikora is a member of several honorary organizations, including Omicron Delta Kappa, Mortar Board, Lambda Epsilon Delta and Kappa Delta Pi. Additionally, Sikora serves at St. Faustina Parish and East Main Presbyterian Church, is a TA for the Education Department and has served as president of the Fellowship of Christian Educators.

Annalina Brant

Stoystown, Pa.

Brant will graduate with a dual degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. She has actively served and led in a variety of academic organizations, including the Association of Women Students, the American Chemical Society, the PreHealth Society, the Christian Medical and Dental Association and the TriBeta Biological Honor Society, for which she serves as vice president and created the Biobuddies Mentorship Program. Brant has worked as a patient care technician with UPMC Somerset Emergency Department, an EMT for Superior Ambulance and the rugby team and as a biology lab TA. She has also been a member and leader of a number of other campus groups, some of which include ICO Philadelphia, Orientation Board, Homecoming Committee, Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa, Crown & Sceptre and the Deeply Rooted Mentorship Program.

Hannah Phillips

College Park, Md.

Phillips will graduate with a dual degree in sociology and psychology. She is an assistant resident director after serving two years as an RA and serves on the Student Government Association. Phillips has been an active participant of the Political Cognition Lab and ICO Lithuania, where she served as senior student lead both years of its existence. She has also been a choreographer for Orchesis, an executive for the Swing Dance Club, the social media coordinator and a TA for the Psychology Department and radio host for the Wolverine Broadcast Network. Additionally, she is a member of Psi Chi, Mortar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa.

Abigail (Abby) Plank

Millersville, Pa.

Plank will graduate with a degree in elementary education. She is the assistant resident director of Colonial Hall after serving two years as a resident assistant in MEP. She has been part of ICO Aliquippa all four years, serving as a student leader for three of them. She has also participated in the Redbox Global Outreach program, where she had the opportunity to serve in Trujillo, Peru for a summer. Plank is also a member and treasurer of the LED Elementary Education Honorary.

Ashley Van Dixhoorn

Charlotte, N.C.

Van Dixhoorn will graduate with a degree in mathematics. A Trustee Fellow, she is an active member and leader in a variety of organizations, including the Crimson & White Society; Orientation Board; for which she served as an executive of the Religious Committee; the Deeply Rooted Mentorship Program, for which she served on the leadership team; Crown & Sceptre; Omicron Delta Kappa; ICO Aliquippa and ICO Chattanooga. She has been involved in the Physics Club, the study abroad program, IM sports and the senior women’s Bible study, for which she served as a group leader. Van Dixhorrn has also served as a youth group leader and as a TA for Dr. McIntyre.

John Garrett

Hillsborough, N.C.

Garrett will graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering. The 2025 Homecoming king, he has been a member and leader in New Life Ministry and ICO Rural Ministry. He has served as a freshman RA and teacher for fifth grade Sunday school. He has also been involved in the MENtor program, Plowshare and the Redbox Global Outreach program.

Nathan (Nate) Ehst

Douglassville, Pa.

Ehst will graduate with degrees in Biblical & Religious Studies and management. He has served as an RA in Hicks and the ARD in Ketler. He has been involved in New Life, IM sports, the MENtor Project and Outer Mountain Outreach, where he served as a trip leader. He is also a member of Theta Alpha Kappa honorary, where he served as president.

Jackson Hays

Benton, La.

Hays will graduate with degrees in Biblical & Religious Studies and management. A Trustee Scholar and the founder of His Power DISplayed, he has served as the SGA class president for the past four years. He has been involved with ICO Lithuania, IM sports, Men’s Birmingham Mission Trip, Roundtable and Unity of Faith Church, where he served as a lay pastor for two years. He has worked as an exam proctor for Disability Services and as a summer intern for both the Student Life & Learning Office and the Advancement Office. Jackson has also been a member of Crimson & White Society, Omicron Delta Kappa, Mortar Board, the BARS honorary, TAK, and the Alpha Epsilon Chi (AEX) housing group, for which he served as vice president of social affairs.

David Thomas

Portland, Ore.

Thomas will graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering. A Trustee Scholar and founder of the men’s lunch Bible study, he has served as a leader in Alliance Church’s youth group and ICO Chattanooga. He has also served has a worship leader for 24-Hour Worship and Redeemer Anglican Church. David has been involved in the MENtor program, IM sports, the track and field team, the Redbox Global Outreach program in Indonesia and the Omicron Xi Fraternity, where he has served as chaplain. He is also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa.

Braedon Weigle

Mechanicsville, Pa.

Weigle will graduate with a degree in philosophy. He is an active member and leader in the Swing Dance Club, where he serves as president, and the Orchesis Dance Company, where he has been a choreographer. He has been involved in the Ballroom Club, Orientation Board, the Philosophy Society, Faculty Follies and ICO Tucson. He is also a member of Mortar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa.

On Wednesday, the college hosted its annual recognition convocation in Harbison Chapel. The ceremony, organized by Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), announced the senior man and woman of the year, honored the professor of the year and celebrated the academic and extracurricular accomplishments of many students. Read about the awards and recipients below.

Outstanding Senior in Biology: Lauren Iversen

Outstanding Senior in Molecular Biology: Annalina Brant

Outstanding Senior in Biology Health: Owen Dodge

Outstanding Senior in Conservation Biology: Presley Coglon Freshman Biology Achievement Award: Emma Flanigan

Walter E. Page Scholarship – Biology: Luke Paglia

Richard A. Leo Scholarship: Carl “Alex” Winklevoss

Edward and Sara Naegele Award – This scholarship award is presented annually to a junior majoring in the Chemistry, Biology or Physics Department who has demonstrated outstanding major QPA achievement. This year, six students have been selected for this award: Grace Ryan, Reilly Welsh, Rebekah Burger, Elisabeth Patch, Cayla Lawrence and Sabrina Harrison

Bechtell Award – Established in 1951, this annual award is given to the best overall graduating student in the biological and physical sciences, as nominated by the faculty of the department corresponding to the student’s major. This year, two students have been selected for this award: Andrew Buxbaum and Reilly Welsh

Roger Clark Dawes Award –This annual award is presented to the most outstanding engineering graduate: Noah Lawler

Outstanding Computer Science Senior: Keith Graybill

Philip N. Carpenter Senior Mathematics Award: Winona Wherley

Franklin C. Ketler Mathematics Prize: Winona Wherley

The J.P. Hassler Prize –This scholarship award is presented annually to a student majoring in economics who shows outstanding achievement in the field: Joshua Xu

Walter E. Page Scholarship – Physics: George Rule

Swezey-Janicki Research

Scholarship – This scholarship is awarded to a rising junior or

senior student or students who have expressed an intention to enter medical school upon graduation from Grove City College and who have shown interest in pursuing research within their scientific or natural science major. The student will also have the highest GPA in his or her major. This year, two students have been selected to receive this scholarship: Grace Mayville and Elisabeth Patch

Swezey-Janicki Scientific Research Competition Award – This award will be given annually to a student majoring in biology, chemistry and/ or physics who is determined by the natural science department chairs to have conducted the most superior research project. This year, two research projects were selected for this award:

Mia Gallagher, Sarah Jacob and Allison Monch – Under the mentorship of Dr. Lisa Antozewski in biology, they conducted a study titled “An Analysis of Shortstop in Drosophila melanogaster Eye Development.” Their project examined the role of the shortstop (shot) gene, which encodes a spectraplakin protein essential for cell scaffolding, organization and development in the formation of the fruit fly eye.

Abigail Collier – Working under the supervision of Dr. Venney Wong in chemistry, Abigail explored ways to improve the safety and efficiency of lithium-ion battery technology. Her project, titled “Surface Analysis of a Solid Polymer Electrolyte,” examined how acid soaking and use of different cathode materials affect voltage output.

American Chemical Society (ACS) Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry: Rebekah Burger

American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Organic Chemistry Undergraduate Award: Trevor Olson

American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Physical Chemistry Undergraduate Award: Reilly Welsh SACP (Society for Analytical Chemists Pittsburgh) Award: Alexandar Fix

Walter E. Page Scholarship – Chemistry: Cayla Lawrence

John T. Shaw Memorial Scholarship – This award is given as a memorial to longtime Organic Chemistry Professor John Shaw, who retired in 1991, and is presented to the top chemistry student(s) at the completion of Organic Chemistry I and II. This year, two students are receiving this

award: Julia Bianchin and Wade Springer

Dr. Harold L. Conder Memorial Scholarship – This award is given in memory of Dr. Harold L. Conder, who served as a chemistry professor from 1973 to 2016. It is presented to a chemistry major enrolled in Inorganic Chemistry who shows seriousness of purpose in the study of inorganic chemistry and creative potential and likelihood of success in the field of chemistry: Julia Bianchin

Outstanding Exercise Science Senior Award: Anthony D’Ippolito

Excellence in Exercise Science: Matthew “Matt” Herrmann

Outstanding Exercise Science Service Award: Victoria Pekrul

Department of Management & Marketing Outstanding Senior Award: Jackson Hayes

Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Excellence in Accounting Award: Selah Severson

Institute of Management Accountants Award: Curtis Hovis

Future Leaders in Finance Award: Natalie Giunta Permelia Baldwin Shoemaker Award – This award is given to the student or students whose essay, chosen by Biblical & Theological Studies faculty, best represents “the nature, purpose or consequences of a Christian education in contemporary society – Christian principles and values that contribute to one’s life in society, such as those that Grove City College tries to endow in its students.” This year, two students have been selected to receive this award: Luke Chambers and David LaBarbera

Ross A. Foster Scholarship

– The Ross A. Foster Scholarship honors Dr. Ross Foster, who for more than 30 years at Grove City College, showed excellence in teaching and administration. The award is given to a senior student of proven ability in Christian thought who will be entering an approved seminary upon graduation: Jake Taylor Olechovsky Scholarship –This scholarship is awarded to a worthy student who demonstrates an interest in the study of the languages, history and culture of the ancient world: Riley Hurd

Sydney McCormick Memorial Award – This award recognizes the outstanding senior educator who has shown dedication, excellence and enthusiasm in the student teaching

experience and throughout campus life. It is awarded in the memory of Sydney McCormick by college friends and the sisters of Gamma Chi sorority. This year, two students have been selected to receive this award: Trey Wagner and Moira Dieteman

James D. Thorne Education Award: Kara Wilhelm David and Kathleen Cashdollar Scholarship – This scholarship was established by the generosity of Trustee David ’71 and Kathleen (Pickens ’70) Cashdollar to support the college in its mission. Mr. Cashdollar coached football at the college. The scholarship will be awarded to a qualified education major, with preference to students who desire to be an athletic coach: Anna Plank Music Education Award: Faith Chapman Hilda Adam Kring Award –This scholarship is awarded annually to a junior English major for use in the senior year. Selection criteria include academic achievement and creative potential for professional success in the student’s chosen field. This year, two students have been selected to receive this award: Molly Miller and Lieneke Boonzaaijer

Thelma Baltz Morrow Award – The Morrow Award is presented annually to the three students who, in the judgment of the English faculty, have consistently demonstrated the highest standards of excellence in the use of the English language: Sophia Pelsue, Jasmine Hoagland and Rebecca Froyd Bockes Award – This award is a scholarship presented to honor academic achievement and the prospect of success in graduate study. It is awarded to a senior English major who has been accepted into an accredited graduate program in English: Ava Fahs Diane M. Dixon Scholarship – This scholarship was established by the generosity of Dr. Diane Dixon and is awarded to the junior student who, in the judgment of the theatre and English faculty, has demonstrated the highest aptitude and achievement in the study of literature, with a special emphasis on the literature beyond the canons of English and American literature: Anastasia Brown James G. Dixon III Scholarship – This scholarship was established by the generosity of Dr. James G. Dixon III and is awarded to the junior student who, in the judgment of the theatre and English faculty,

has demonstrated the highest overall aptitude, achievement and leadership in the academic and/or creative areas of theatre at Grove City College: Christopher Corbin

Robert H. Sisler Memorial Award – The Robert H. Sisler Award is presented by Alpha Mu Gamma, the national foreign language honorary, to an outstanding modern language senior who has demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, concern for others and joie de vivre: Leah Morgan Jonathan B. Ladd Award –This award is presented in honor of Dr. J.B. Ladd, who served the college for 30 years both as a professor of French and chair of the Department of Modern Languages, to the winner of this year’s French junior competition: Adam Budzik Elinor M. Caruthers French Prize – This award honors the senior winner of the French Essay Competition. This year, two students have been selected to receive this award: Sarah Graham and Marcus Henry Psi Chi Senior Award: Nathan Wright and Sarah Graham Red Fred Award in Psychology/Philosophy: Katherine “Katie” Bell, Elisa Drai and Randall “Randy” MacArthur Phi Alpha Theta History Prize: Ginger Schiffmayer and William “Zander” Bedingfield David E. McKillop Scholarship – This scholarship was established in memory of Dr. McKillop, who served the college and the History Department for 30 years. The recipient must show seriousness of purpose, creative potential, academic achievement and likelihood of success in the study of law or history: Abigail Buritica Andrew S. Korim Original Thought Scholarship – This prestigious merit scholarship recognizes up to three outstanding, rising senior scholars who have distinguished themselves by displaying strong academics and evidence of original thought in specific majors across the social sciences, natural sciences and technology and applied sciences. Eligible participants were invited to compete by submitting an essay focusing on their creative contribution to original thought relevant to their major: Andrew Castner, James Yoho and Garrett Gess

Frederick S. Kring Scholarship – A substantial scholarship awarded annually to an outstanding leader of the junior class for use in the senior year. Selection is based on the leadership criteria of the Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honorary society: John Hatzis

Students were honored for their academic achievements on Wednesday in Harbison Chapel.

My first editorial (part two)

My sophomore year, I wrote my first editorial about how I’d been wrestling with misattributing my value to how successful I could be.

Like most teenagers, I was conditioned to believe that unless I achieved superior grades, landed the highest paying job and rose through the rankings, I wasn’t working hard enough. I was a cog in the efficiency machine, and it left me deeply unsatisfied and frustrated.

In my editorial, I concluded these standards were baseless, hopeless and meaningless in light of what the Lord has done for me. My value comes from the price He was willing to pay for me, and my work is made meaningful by who I do it for, not from professional commendations and a fancy title.

I remembered that editorial

when I was thinking about my first week as editor-in-chief. I was full of energy, and I had endless plans to take the paper to the next level. But on the other side of it, I didn’t do some of those things. Classes picked up, balancing my work for the paper and my homework was hard and the deadlines were harder.

I was tempted to be discouraged and to once again feel like I hadn’t done enough when I remembered that first editorial. The value of my time on The Collegian staff hasn’t come from anything I’ve done, but instead it’s come from what the Lord has taught me through this experience, so I thought I’d share a few of those lessons with you.

I’d like to say I’m the one who finishes the paper every Wednesday night, but more often than not, this paper finishes me. I’ve spent an average of 16 hours a week working on The Collegian, and 14 of those hours are on Wednesday. Most weeks, InDesign fights me tooth and nail until 4:30 in

the morning when I finally call it done and export the file.

Just a few hours later, I trudge back to Crawford Tower to polish it up and send the PDF off for printing. Then I do as much of my homework as I can in the 20 minutes I have left before I go to class, looking like some creature you’d see in “The Walking Dead.”

The production timeline of The Collegian is not conducive to perfectionist tendencies. Often, I’ve had to make sacrifices to deliver the final product to the stands; occasionally, that even means missing a class or assignment. Working on the paper has taught me that, contrary to what society tells us, we cannot do it all.

But I’ve learned to be okay with it because it forces me to remember my reliance on God, and He’s carried me through each failure, frustration and tough day every single time.

I confess on Friday mornings, I comb through the paper and look for missed commas, misaligned text and misspellings. The worst mistake I ever

made was in our biggest issue of the year. I forgot to delete a giant textbox with a note I’d left my advisor off the PDF in the Homecoming issue.

I was horrified. I just about fired myself.But the fastpaced environment forced me to suck it up and move on. I didn’t have time to wallow in self-pity. The next issue was coming out on Friday, and I had articles to write.

This job taught me to be more comfortable with my mistakes, and as it turns out, though they broke my little perfectionist heart, mistakes aren’t actually the end of the world.

The people I’ve worked with changed me as much as the work. I’ve been on staff with people from different backgrounds than mine and with views conflicting with mine. This experience was invaluable for me because I learned how to see the world from different perspectives, and I believe that I have a greater capacity for empathy because of that.

To return to my first editorial, the value of the past few years hasn’t come from any recognized achievement: It comes from little interactions and inconveniences that have shaped me into the person that I am now.

The woman who will walk across the commencement stage is not the same person who moved into MAP room 40 in 2022, and thank God for that. This person is more content with what she’s been given and more confident in her own skin. Most importantly, she knows that if something is God’s will, it will come to pass no matter how many mistakes she makes.

And now, there are a couple people I’d like to thank before I sign off as editor-in-chief:

First, I want to thank my roommates, Julianna Jacobs and Mackenzie Di Cello, for supporting me in every capacity over the past few years.

Thanks for reading the paper every week and cutting out

EDITORIAL 12

Closing remarks on grace and holy places

As the last days of college crawl my way, I recall the restlessness I felt during the last years of high school towards the land I was raised on and the small town that had grown a bit too familiar. I came to describe it as a good book that was too wellread.

I remember craving newness, unfamiliarity, freshness, not of my situation, but of my place.

In finally arriving at Grove City, the whole experience quivered with potential. This campus was the lane that stretched beyond the starting gate, my place in the world for three long years.

But to no one’s surprise, what was so new at this college didn’t stay new for long: Potential friendships became realized, experiences were had or not had and more quickly than I could have guessed, this place became my home.

Now, nearly every square foot of this campus has a memory attached to it. I’ve spent time in each building, run every sidewalk, read un-

der many of the trees and had conversations on nearly every bench. My campus walks have steadily grown heavier with recollections that unwarrantedly abstract me from the present.

I have spent these three years waiting for the inevitable rekindling of the high school restlessness, but as I look out over an exciting, wonderful, anticipated next couple of years I couldn’t have even dreamt up, I feel trepidation at the thought of the expansive newness before me.

In going out from here, I’m realizing that I am a little scared of them both — the monotonous familiar and the isolating unknown.

But I am reminded, by the testimony of older believers more than anything, that Christ’s grace is not hindered by either. The greatest part of my college career has been the continual absorption of a truth I had already recognized – that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And this gospel means grace upon grace, over the new ground and the old.

Christ’s gospel means grace in familiar areas, where old habits and old sins feel as much a part of the place and experience as who I am now.

These mistakes are not too long-lived, too habituated or too often brought to mind to be seen, forgiven and taken from us “as far as the east is from the west.” Even relationships that have sat in the dirty dishwater of the memories of sin for years are not beyond what the Lord approaches “with healing in his wings,” as a God whose heart is one of reconciliation. And in the same way, his love and forgiveness and purity stretch even into new situations, where I am equally dazzled by fear and excitement. He goes before me into places that will become my home, where “even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”

I will never want for people to love, and I will never want for love from my Lord.

To quote a pastor I heard this week, with this truth of the gospel, we literally do know that everything, on a universal as well as an individual scale, will be okay — it will be brought to goodness and peace and submission to Love himself.

In words that have run through my head nearly incessantly this semester, Psalm 124 begins by saying, “If it had not been the Lord who was on

our side…” I cannot begin to explain all the times and all the places where the Lord saved me from myself during my college years. I came in unconditioned and burnt myself out in the first year, but echoing that same Psalm, “Praise be to the Lord,” who worked in weakness and whose grace gave me the years that I am able to wholeheartedly say were very, very good.

In going out, I take great joy in knowing that the best moments of my time here – belly laughing with friends on bathroom counters, long walks on Pinchalong, dances of every sort, invigorating and enlivening lectures – are a foreshadowing of the coming restored community that will gather in worship at the great supper of the Lamb.

To quote “Every Moment Holy” (the wonderful book of liturgy that certainly deserves a shoutout in terms of getting me through college):

“Run hard, finish well. Let’s gather at the Wedding Feast.” Now for a cliche, but a beautiful one — there truly are too many people to thank. How do I thank the quite literally hundreds of people on this campus who made these years so rich? But I can’t write my last Col-

legian article without a word of appreciation and deep love for the staff here, who made Tower nights a crazy, hazy, wonderful 12-hour-long dream. And to our dear advisor Nick Hildebrand, who is ever quick to believe in the students and does so thoroughly, calling them up to great standards and great accomplishments. And of course, to Emily, the queen of our paper, who worked day and night for The Collegian, and through that, loved the Lord and the student body wonderfully and sincerely, was the best boss and remains a truly brilliant, beautiful person. I wish you all the best in your pursuits, journalistic or otherwise.

And to the rest of this college – roommates, professors, executives, mentors, housekeepers, OB kids, campo officers, old friends and new ones – thank you for your love and life and faithfulness. I am, and will remain, overwhelmed with gratitude for this school’s exceptional community made up of truly exceptional people. It really is with great hope that I finish this season, not in what I will do or be, but in who Christ will be, to me and those I love around me, a Rock higher than ourselves whose footsteps we are blessed to follow.

LUKE PAGLIA
The Collegian’s seniors: Mia Gallagher, Kathryna Hoyman, Emily Fox, John Remaniak and Tava Derr in front of Crawford Hall, home of their beloved office, “The Tower.”

How

do you say goodbye to what you never expected to love?

In all honesty, I never wanted to be The Collegian’s Sports editor.

That may come as a shock to many of you. I’m an athlete, after all. I write action-packed game summaries and put together eye-catching layout designs every week.

I’ve made time for Collegian sports even when I’ve had no time to give. It seems like the perfect gig, right? But the truth is, before becoming the Sports editor, I had never written a Sports story, nor had any particular desire to.

When I first came to Grove City four years ago, I was

thrilled to find out anyone could write for The Collegian. I had worked for my high school’s newspaper for two years, and I wasn’t ready to give up student journalism quite yet.

Back then, I was always the first person to respond to the emails from then Community Editor Violet Whitmore ’25. I loved interviewing current students and alumni; it was such a joy to bring their incredible stories to life.

At the end of my freshman year, everyone on staff thought I would take over the Community section from Violet. But given my insane academic and athletic schedule, I ended up turning the position down, opting to just write and copy edit instead.

I didn’t regret this decision at the time. (Emily Fox abso-

On the Painter’s palette

For the fourth and final article mandated to the business guy, I’ll be brief. There will be no sermon, no long strings of analogies, just one. This is simply a reflection of appreciation. There is an idea of loving something not for its utility, its outcome or even its beauty, but for what it is in itself. A friend once described a concept for a paint poem, and I immediately thought of how colors work together, each contributing their own gift to form something whole. Yet to truly love something is not to see how your own color and formation could fit into it, but to love it for its own sake.

We are not the painter, nor anything more than a color on the palette, used or unused. This is about appreciating the process by which each color is formed and learning to let go.

In college, we are shaped by those around us. We are shaped by friends, enemies, peers, mentors, coaches and professors. Each interaction blends and forms us into something new.

Some mixtures and pigments create something vibrant and transformative; others feel stagnant or dull. Whether by the will of God or indifference, we are constantly being shaped alongside others.

Looking at the painter’s palette, I’ve had to remember whatever lighter or darker colors I’ve encountered, I am ultimately just a vessel of that painter’s lamp.

Like everyone else, I have to let go and allow something greater to create beauty, whether or not I am part of the final image. We can even learn to appreciate the mundane or eloquent influences of others, the inorganic chemistry textbook on a roommate’s desk, an economics book we never cared for or even the philosophy of Kierkegaard shaping a friend.

Each plays a role in forming the larger picture. Growth,

lutely killed it as Community editor after all.) I still don’t. But I will admit that when I was again offered an editor position at the end of sophomore year, I was a little disappointed to receive Sports.

Funnily enough, my lacrosse journey parallels my journalism journey quite well. I started lacrosse and the newspaper in my junior year of high school. I knew I wasn’t ready to give either up just yet. And for the first three years of college, I found myself struggling to truly love both.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my teammates and The Collegian staff. I wouldn’t trade the relationships I’ve made for anything. Being a backup goalie, however, was so defeating mentally.

Being Sports editor, however, was so disappointing ini-

tially. I wanted to be so much more. But I felt like I couldn’t be with the cards I had been dealt.

Last spring, everything began to change. For the paper, it started with an email I had been sent from an athlete I had interviewed, saying how much they loved the article and appreciated me for my work.

For lacrosse, it was winning our team’s second PAC championship and getting to play a quarter in our NCAA game.

Surrounded by the joy of athletes whose stories I’ve told or been a part of, I began to heal.

Mindset is such a powerful thing. More than half of any battle you face in life will be mental. How you frame your thoughts matters. And what you choose to focus on will determine future outcomes.

Once I began to love the pro-

cess of writing sports stories and playing lacrosse, I found so much abundant joy and peace. A snappy lead, a heartfelt quote, a fantastic save, a joyful post-game celly — all of these little victories have truly made the last year at Grove City one of the best of my life. And my incredible teammates and Collegian family make saying goodbye to this paper, this sport and this place one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

So if I can leave you with any advice, it’s this: Don’t let thoughts of “what should have been” or “what could have been” control your life. The only things you can truly control are your attitude and effort. And once you begin to find joy in the process, you’ll find it’s impossible not to love the cards you’ve been dealt.

Who said senior year was easy?

As a student who is about to graduate, I can say that senior year has been anything but easy for me.

especially through our imperfection, allows for a deeper appreciation of transformation, something we cannot achieve without God’s grace.

Coming out of this reflection is gratitude. My responsibilities shifted halfway through college, which affected both my friendships and academics, but also gave me perspective.

I want to thank ZeeMee for helping me connect with my freshman roommate and meal date, Braedon Weigle, as well as the seniors like Bion Arnold, Mac Hancock and Marc Deiter I met my freshman year. I’m grateful to my advisor, Dr. John Smith, for his patience and counsel.

Sophomore year brought being a resident assistant of the freshmen hall, which was mostly made up of TMX, along with moments I was not fully prepared or compensated enough for but learned from. Thank you to all who aided or wounded, I hope it all helped in the eyes of sovereignty.

Junior year, I’m thankful for the cast of “1984,” my co-choreographers Jessica Pratt, Wesley Bishop, Marygrace Grego and Sami Miller and the friends I lived and led with, especially Liam Cummings, who I led with to beat the Alpha Sigs last year in All-Campus Sing for third place.

I also appreciate every dance partner I’ve had in performance and the individuals who positively influenced the dance community.

This year, I’m especially grateful for Cole Amacker. I am grateful for those in the Liturgy of the Hours prayer group who have left me a positive perspective of how the Catholic community on campus can flourish. And to anyone not mentioned — know I have you in the back of a journal so I can continue to pray for you all.

Finally, thank you to the entire Collegian staff for your dedication, late nights and commitment to producing meaningful work while balancing full-time studies.

And thank you to Emily Fox and Kathryna Hoyman for your faithful leadership of the chaos. Here’s to the process, the people and the Painter.

The thought of what awaits me after college lingers in the back of my mind and pops up whenever I have a spare moment. Where will I live? Where will I work? Where will I go to church? What will I do? These thoughts have hounded me for the past year as I have filled out job application after job application, not knowing where I will be working or living.

With graduation right around the corner and no job lined up, I am nervous. This year has been a trial for me. With all the anxiety of the unknown weighing on my mind,

I frequently remind myself to trust God with my future. God has a good plan, and what truly matters is living for Him. So, I must learn to surrender all my worries to Him. And when those anxious thoughts come again, I must turn to Him. My senior year has been marked by a cycle of worry, followed by turning to God to be reminded of the truth.

God is with me, God loves me and God has a plan. God is faithful to His promises. No matter what I end up doing after college, I know that with God, I can find joy in any situation because He is with me. The Lord is teaching me to trust Him in any situation. I am not saying it is easy for me to let go of my worry, but slowly I am learning to do so. I choose to praise God even amid uncertainty, because even in my uncertainty, I am certain of one thing – God is

good.

I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of The Collegian’s staff, even if only for one year. As the social media manager, I have had the pleasure of capturing moments of accomplishment and laughter. I wish I had more time to dedicate to the social media pages! As it is, I hope that my replacement is talented, dedicated and does better than I ever did!

I am so grateful to have met each of the staff members. I wish I had more free time this year to be in the Tower and get to know them. The Collegian surely would not have been the same without them, as they each bring their unique personalities and perspectives from across campus.

It has been a busy year, but it has been a great one. I am sure I will carry fond memories of The Collegian with me for years to come. Thank you all!

A ringless spring

When there is no ring by spring, what do we do? Some of you may have never wrestled with this anxiety, but for others, it may be a question on the mind daily.

In my Christian circles, I often hear that it is so difficult to be content in a season of singleness. To hear this from strong Christians is baffling to me. For my Christian friends, it seems that struggling with something means they are discontented. However, this could not be further from the truth.

To those who told me this, I asked them a simple question: “What does it mean to be content?” No one could answer.

So, I pushed a little further, asking, “Do you have peace and confidence that God has a good and perfect plan for your life regardless of the circumstances?” “Yes, of course!” some said.

Why do people convince themselves that since they have an unfulfilled desire to be in a relationship, they cannot be content? These discontented Christians call their unfulfilled desire to be in a relationship a struggle. But their desire for a relationship is God-given. So often nowadays, people will take what they feel is a struggle or discomfort in their life and say it is discontentment.

As Christians, we are called to live lives of contentment, not comfort. Comfort takes

away hard trials, whereas contentment, regardless of discomfort, is fully satisfied in knowing God’s goodness for our lives.

Just because we wrestle with our desires and wants does not mean that we lack trust in God’s plan for our lives. If you feel you cannot be content until you are given a relationship, then you will inevitably find yourself disappointed.

I can attest, having once been in a relationship, that just because you are dating does not mean all your problems are solved. You will struggle with other things during your relationship, and your significant other is not the one who will make you feel content in a difficult situation. Only God can do that.

The pressure that we often feel to get married at a Christian college like Grove City can be overwhelming. It affects us all to a degree. But the pressure is societal, not spiritual.

Dr. Bright, professor of psychology and sociology here at the college, says, “Biblically we are encouraged to get married … (but) ring by spring isn’t a good message.”

When we put a time limit on having to get a ring by spring or put on an expectation that we must meet our future spouse at college, we deny that God, in our singleness, is doing His work and working out His plan in our lives.

Oswald Chambers once wrote, “I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him.”

A desire for a relationship is a godly desire, but sometimes we turn godly desires into gods. When that happens, we feel discontent. Our purpose in life is not defined by wheth

er we have a ring by spring or not. Our purpose in life is defined by the one who created us.

So, what do you do when there is no ring by spring?

truth that the Lord is good even amid our unfulfilled desires.

Lessons from Perspectives

It’s been two years since I wrote my first article for The Collegian. I had asked Grace Scheller, the previous Perspectives editor, if I could write for the paper. Her articles had pushed my expectations of what I thought people at Grove City could think, and I wanted to try for myself.

She kindly put me on the email list, and shortly after Donald Trump started selling Bibles with an incomplete Constitution included. Thus was my career begun.

I’ve written over 30 articles since then, for almost all sections of the paper, and admittedly not all of them have been great. But nevertheless, my time in college will be tied to The Collegian, and especially

This has been a historic year for the Perspectives section. The numbers speak for themselves: In our 20 editions, we have featured 48 different writers. 48! We premiered a new writer in almost every edition, and our writing team represented all years and schools.

We had debates on AI, chapel speakers, the Reformation and interfaith marriages. We have dedicated editions to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the adoption of the new statement of faith, the scandalous Crimson Card+ and my personal favorite, the celebration of

“Often,

the articles I was most concerned about people’s reactions to were the articles people, including professors, told me encouraged them.”

the Perspectives section. But this is not meant to be a timeline of my articles, because that would be boring and self-aggrandizing, things papers never are. Instead, here are a couple things I’ve noticed.

First, knowing your audience means knowing it is diverse. Despite Grove City College being a pretty demographically homogeneous place, there is a broad spectrum of opinions here. And because of that, it’s likely that you are not alone in your opinion, no matter how unpopular.

I have written a lot of articles that are left-leaning or question and critique institutions, including our own college. Often, the articles I was most concerned about people’s reactions to were the ones peo-

Thank you!

Grove’s 150th birthday. This year, it has been a gift and a joy to read and work with the college’s best student writers as Perspectives editor.

To our writers, thank you for your contributions. The quantity and quality of this year’s submissions have overwhelmed us, and we are so grateful for it. To our readers, thank you for engaging with our student writing: From personal conversations to faculty emails to all-campus group chats, conversation about Perspectives articles abounded this year, and whether you approved of the

ple told me encouraged them, including professors. No matter how isolated you may feel, there are people who will surprise you.

There is a quote, originally a satirical comment about newspapers, that says papers “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” While this can certainly be pretentious, I think it also is a good guide for how opinion writers, and all newswriters, can approach their work.

Being inflammatory, without also including a positive way forward, does nothing but make people upset. And while that can be a writer’s goal, it doesn’t put any good into the world. If we are to be a light in the world, then we should be more like a lighthouse and less like a housefire.

opinions expressed or not, your contribution to the campus conversation has been invaluable.

Lastly, thank you to Kathryna Hoyman, Emily Fox, Nick Hildebrand and President Lingo, my incredible bosses. Through it all, you remained steadfastly loyal to The Collegian’s commitment to free expression, honest journalism and excellent reporting. I could not have gotten through this year without your grace and support.

Here’s to another year of excellence in Perspectives!

John Hatzis Perspectives Editor

Another thing that I’ve realized while working for The Collegian is that papers need variety. There’s a reason we have five different sections every week, each of which need people to write for and read. News alone would get dry, Community would become PR, Entertainment would lose relevance, Perspectives would be Twitter and Sports would be relegated to the field. All of them balance each other, keeping an informed and interested readership. That is why I have tried to branch out, writing articles on town news, including the community library’s financial troubles, as well as interviewing professors and attending campus events. This is also why I’ve written opinion pieces on things that aren’t actually about politics, like my October articles on the occult and Halloween.

Repetition is the death of interest. It is also when we start

EDITORIAL

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all my editorials and hanging them on the fridge. You guys are the best. Thank you to my boyfriend, Evan McCormick, for visiting me in the Tower each week for a much-needed brain break and for praying for me every Wednesday night. Thanks for being content to sit behind me offering moral support (and playing a little bit of chess) while I’m agonizing over jump tags. I love you so much. We’re all writers here, but I can’t possibly put everything I’ve learned from Nick Hildebrand into a few words. What I can say is that Nick’s guidance has equipped me to leave and do whatever the Lord has in store for my career, which I

becoming complacent. If you look around you, even on campus, business as usual is rarely business as usual.

This year alone we have had two different student protest movements regarding the statement of faith and Crimson Card+. For both, The Collegian has played a part in the conversation, with News and Perspectives articles informing on and discussing them.

Take an interest in what is going on around you. Be thoughtful and humble, knowing you don’t know everything. Approach everyone and everything with some curiosity and some humor. Try things that seem frightening, like writing for The Collegian -- I promise they are friendly. Always look for a way forward and don’t sit in despair for too long.

This is Madelyn Braho, signing off.

think is the best confirmation of a job well done that a mentor can get.

And finally, my managing editor. What I’ll remember the most about Kathryna is her joyful, servant heart. Kathryna’s joy is the type that Paul writes about in Philippians: the kind that comes from knowing the Lord and that cannot be destroyed by mere circumstances. Kathryna was there for my toughest moments, and just being near her made the world a little less dark. I have never met anyone so patient and attuned to the needs of people around her. She looks for the Lord in all things, and her love for Him is evident in all she does. It has been my personal great joy to work with her.

OLIVER WILLIAMS
Trust in Jesus. When we put our trust in Jesus our Lord, we experience a contentment derived from the

Should we encourage AI art?

Points and counterpoints: a Grover discourse

Yes: AI evolves, improves art

Nov. 25, 2025, went down in history as the first time an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated song, “Walk My Walk,” became the most popular country song in America.

Today, we must reckon with the reality that machines can sing, write and paint just as well as human beings.

This raises a vital question: Is artificial intelligence conducive to human flourishing in the arts, or is it destructive? Far from destroying art, AI is evolving it. It allows more humans to participate in creative endeavors and, in the long run, facilitates the creation of better art.

To understand why, we must look at the economic principle of “creative destruction,” see how it historically played out with the invention of photography and observe how AI is driving that exact process today.

Creative destruction is the process by which old industries are destroyed, and new ones arise. Coined by the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter in 1942, the term refers to how disruptive technologies eliminate outdated practices to make way for the new.

Even though this disruption causes temporary unrest, in the long run, new technologies create widespread prosperity.

You might ask how economics applies to the arts. Isn’t art a transcendent thing, entirely separate from market forces? It is not. We can see how creative destruction shapes the arts by looking at the invention of photography, which permanently displaced portraiture and landscape painting as the dominant art forms.

Before 1840, a large portion of an artist’s income was generated by painting portraits and landscapes. People in the past, just like us, wanted pictures of themselves to capture memories. This changed drastically when the camera became available to the public, allowing people to obtain images cheaper, faster and more efficiently than a portrait artist could ever provide.

Naturally, portrait artists fought back, even arguing that photography was not “art” because it relied on the mechanization of a camera. This debate reached the Supreme Court in 1884 with Burrow-Giles Lithographic Co. v. Sarony, where the Court officially recognized photography as an art form subject to copyright laws.

The Court determined that despite the machine’s involvement, the process still required profound creative choices: finding the right

The following is a summary of the arguments presented at a debate hosted by the GCC Socratic Club on the topic “Is AI art conducive to human flourishing?” We would like to thank the Socratic Club for their contributions to polite discourse and to the Perspectives section.

angle, choosing the lens and developing the image. When critics argue that AI removes the human effort required to make art, they echo a debate we already settled over a century ago.

Yes, cameras took away the manual effort of painting realistic depictions, but that didn’t make photography any less creative. It simply shifted where humans applied their creativity.

Furthermore, portrait and landscape artists didn’t disappear. They were forced to adapt. To compete with the camera, painters had to do things a camera couldn’t do, leading to revolutionary movements like impressionism and abstract art.

Creative destruction didn’t just give us the new medium of photography; it forced traditional painting to evolve and become better. These same principles are playing out with AI today. AI is eliminating old opportunities, reforming current workflows and birthing entirely new art forms.

For example, automation is transforming the field of graphic design. Today, AI can create concept art and aid the creative process. AI is even creating new art forms. For example, new tools like Google Flow are allowing people to experiment with new forms of video content.

AI is not eliminating human art. Since the Industrial Revolution, hand-made art has had a price premium over machine-made pieces. A similar premium is now emerging for verifiably human-made art.

Is AI conducive to human flourishing in the arts? The answer is a resounding yes. Through the ongoing process of creative destruction, more people are gaining the ability to participate in the creative endeavor. At the same time, existing artists are being pushed to innovate and create better work.

We must not condemn AI-generated art as devoid of value. What we are witnessing today is the natural evolution of art. Far from making us lazy, AI empowers us to do more than we ever could before, giving millions the tools to participate in the creative process. That is undoubtedly a net positive for humanity.

No: Creativity uniquely human

When defining human flourishing, Christians must consider the body and soul within a human.

God created man in His Image, for a purpose both spiritual and physical. Our purpose is to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.” We are commanded to love Him with our souls by knowing and honoring Him, and with our strength by serving and glorifying Him.

We were created and entrusted with intelligence unique from all other earthly creatures, as part of being made in God’s Image and Likeness; our duty is to use this intelligence to God’s Glory.

Consequently, a key part of human flourishing is spiritual flourishing. With man as body and soul, human flourishing can be succinctly defined as abundant health of body and soul. Human flourishing thus involves growth in virtue and holiness, as well as strength and health; after the Fall, this growth is more intentional, wrought through sanctifying work.

Art is the use of human creativity to highlight something transcendent — God’s beauty, truth and goodness.

Part of loving something is seeing its beauty; that is, apprehending its true lovability, residing in its goodness. Creating art, then, necessarily has a relational aspect: One has a will to portray beauty. This goodwill is love; without a soul, art cannot be produced.

Art, coming from the Latin word “ars” or “technical skill,” is a particular way in which we can love the LORD with our strength, heart and soul. We invest our time and our minds in a careful and contemplative process, producing something honoring God’s transcendence.

We honor His creativity by using our own, since He shared with us this creative power. The making itself enhances and gives worth to the final project.

Artificial Intelligence is antithetical to human flourishing, as it eases the work that is for our sanctification. This ease is not conducive to human flourishing, but to weakness and laziness. AI art is harmful to human flourishing also because it is devoid of soul and consequently not true art.

Reliance on Artificial Intelligence, essentially a brain technology, makes us less reliant on our own intelligence. In the creative field, this is especially nonsensical.

Creativity is a delight. Joy is a

divine gift that accompanies acts of sub-creation. The joy we have in completing the callings of God, like love, or any virtue, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and a good pursuit. The process of creativity delights the mind in a way that receiving prompts from a computer does not.

An analogy is exercising for healthy weight loss. Instead of running, you could have a pound of flesh removed. Is that as fulfilling? Perhaps you’ll be content, but you won’t have the confidence or satisfaction from the growth in strength and discipline that led to that achievement. And you will not truly have health, but only its façade.

With no exercise or lifestyle change, that quick fix isn’t likely to remain. It will ultimately be depressing as you come to believe that you are incapable of losing weight on your own. This artificial option achieves the result and misses the point; it is devoid of soul and destructive to health. It involves no joy and it sacrifices valuable means to attain a pointless end.

Manmade art is inherently better than AI art. It can only be true art if it is crafted by man, not AI. This doesn’t mean that every piece of manmade art is technically superior to an artificial one; AI may provide superb imitations. But it doesn’t matter how technically good it is. If it is produced in the manner of AI, the very meaning of “art” is lost.

AI doesn’t meaningfully employ human strength to produce art. Though AI was designed by human strength, its strength has been rented from a human’s heart and soul. He has given his strength to the machine and gone away to put his heart into something else. Creation of art in such a way is not the labor of love that it ought to be, involving heart, soul and strength, but a mere technical exercise. It cheapens the process, devaluing the product.

While they are a creation of man, AI art-generators remove the heart from the act of glory to God. It is analogical to sending one’s mother a generic birthday card with $20 and no original writing and equating it to showing up at her door with a bouquet of flowers and chocolate that together cost $20.

There is no intelligence in Artificial Intelligence, nor is there art — only their semblance. It has no soul, no love and nothing of the finest qualities with which God designed His intelligent creatures. It would be far better to return to human artistic endeavors and take the marvelously joyful opportunities for creativity which arise daily.

The Grover-Achiever: The Finale By Mara Barrick

POLL

continued from 1 Grover demographics

Last week, The Collegian collected survey data on Grovers’ views on artificial intelligence. Below is a summary of the demographic information collected from the 377 students polled. Political affiliation 53%

Students are conservative 11%

Students are Republican 9%

Students are moderate 9%

Students are Independent 5%

Students are Libertarian 3%

Students are Liberal 2%

Students are Christian Nationalist 1%

Students are Socialist 1%

Students are Democrat 1%

Students are MAGA

Church Denomination 23%

Students are Nondenominational 21%

Students are Presbyterian 13%

Students are Baptist 10%

Students are Anglican 8%

Students are Reformed 7%

Students are Roman Catholic 3%

Students do not belong to a church tradition 2%

Students are Agnostic 2%

Students are Lutheran 2%

Students are Eastern Orthodox 1%

Students are Anabaptist 1%

Students are Pentecostal 1%

Students are Methodist

Thank you to those who filled out our poll! This reporting would not have been possible without you.

STORY continued from 2

that constitutes the person doing it,” Miller said.

Miller noted that for humanities students, writing is the medium through which they come to know what they think, and reading carefully is the cultivation of habits of attention.

“Their skepticism is not fear, and it is not ignorance. It is a serious instinct about what we lose when we reduce education to its instrumental value,” Miller said. “Both anthropologies have genuine roots in the Christian tradition, and both deserve a fair hearing.”

The Hopeman School of Science and Technology falls between the Calderwood and Winklevoss schools, with 40% responding that AI will take away opportunities and 30% responding that it will create more opportunities. Education majors primarily believe AI will take away opportunities, with 46% reporting it will take opportunities away and 16% reporting it will create more opportunities.

Most Grovers are against the use of any AI in church.

Ninety-four percent of respondents believe AI should not be used to write sermons, 93% are against the use of AI to write prayers and 71% are against using AI to edit liturgy, sermons or prayers. However, students seem to be more accepting of using AI to research sermon material. Thirty-one percent of students believe AI should be used to research sermon material, while 50% do not think it should be used.

Grove City students are more against using AI to write sermons than the national average. A Lifeway Research study found 44% of Protestants do not see anything wrong with pastors using AI for sermon preparation. Forty-three percent disagreed with using AI for sermon prep.

The Collegian found that 48% of Protestants polled are against using AI to research sermon material, and 95% were against using it to write sermons.

Freshmen have the most negative associations towards AI compared to other class years. Over half (51%) of freshmen polled responded that their associations with AI were negative or very negative, while only 17% responded that their associations with AI were positive or very positive.

Men were found to have much less negative associations with AI than women.

Only 33% of men reported negative associations with AI, while 58% of women reported negative associations. Thirty-seven percent of men responded positive or very positive compared to 15% of women.

Though the plurality of Grovers responded that they have negative associations with AI, most students also responded that they use AI weekly. Thirty-nine percent of Grovers use AI one to three times a week, 12% use it five to 10 times a week and 13% use it more than 10 times a week. Thirty-five percent of Grovers do not use AI at all.

Students belonging to the Winklevoss School of Business use AI most frequently; ninety-two percent use AI weekly. Education majors use AI the least, with only 43% of education majors using AI weekly. Seventy-six percent of students belonging to the Hopeman School of Science and Technology and 49% of students belonging to the Calderwood School of Arts and Letters use AI weekly.

The division was close between Grovers who believe AI literacy should be a mandated outcome of college education and those who don’t. Thirty-eight percent think AI literacy should be a mandated outcome, and 42% think it shouldn’t.

Grove City College English Professor Jeffrey Bilbro has published articles about AI and humanity in several academic journals and spoken about AI at a conference at Whitworth University. He commented that the close numbers reveal a desire within the student body to understand how AI will interact with their lives and vocations.

“I think it shows students know even if you don’t like it, you know that it’s part of the world that we live in and want to understand how to use it in targeted ways, or understand how it’s going to affect their lives or be able to talk about it intelligently,” Bilbro said. “So, I think it’s possible to be skeptical and not like it and yet still think ‘I should know more about this.’”

The poll also showed that most students (68%) think that AI should sometimes be permitted or encouraged in college study. Only 6% think it should always be used, and 22% think it should never be used.

These numbers encouraged Bilbro.

“I’m encouraged by that, that students recognize ‘I want

to learn, I want to be formed, I don’t want to offload cognitive formation to AI.’ … ‘There are targeted ways of using it that are discipline specific or workforce related that I want to understand,’ so I’m encouraged by students mostly having a sense of discernment there,” he said.

Grovers primarily use AI for research and to summarize information. Seventeen percent of students polled frequently use AI for research, and 34% occasionally use it for research. Sixteen percent use AI frequently to summarize information, and 36% use it occasionally.

The poll found that only 2% of Grovers use AI for companionship, numbers that are much lower than those in other surveys conducted with young people.

Bilbro acknowledged that the low number of Grovers using AI for companionship is not the norm.

“That is not normal. Not normal at all. I hope that part of it is that you’re at an in-person community that has relatively healthy social norms, and so people feel less lonely,” Bilbro said. “The numbers of young people who use it for companionship are a lot higher on a national average.”

In February 2026, Syracuse University Today reported that a survey of 18 to 25-yearolds found 360 of the 1,500 polled use AI for romantic companionship long-term. Many claim to use it to “practice” for real romantic interactions with other people.

Students think it is ethical to summarize information, write code and collect information.

Seventy-two percent of poll respondents think it is ethical to summarize information with AI, 57% think it is ethical to write code using AI and 48% think it is ethical to use AI to collect information.

Students largely think it is unethical to use AI for academic writing submitted for a class, for creative writing, to compose music or write lyrics, create images or art and to use AI to produce corporate content.

Eighty-five percent responded that it is not ethical to use AI for academic writing submitted for a class, 66% believe it is not ethical to use AI for creative writing, 65% do not think it is ethical to use AI to compose music or write lyrics, 49% said it was not ethical to use AI to create images or art and 45% thought it was unethical to use AI to produce corporate content.

DEANS

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ly translations of the Hebrew Bible, particularly the Septuagint. He joined the college faculty in 2016 and was named Professor of the Year in 2022.

Byun holds a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies and a Bachelor of Science in economics from Gordon College, as well as a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in biblical languages from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He earned a doctorate in Asian and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Cambridge.

“Dr. Byun has earned the respect of both students and faculty through his scholarship, leadership and character. He understands and is deeply committed to our pursuit of academic excellence, the liberal arts and humanities and the Christian faith,” Lingo said. “I am confident the Calderwood School will take these commitments to the next level under his leadership.”

Snyder is currently an associate professor of surgery and an associate professor of cell biology at Duke University School of Medicine.

His research centers on the cellular and molecular processes that drive tumor progression. In his lab, he has developed and used lineage-tracing tools to visualize the earliest stages of tumor progression and cancer development. His work is highly interdisciplinary, incorporating genetically engineered cancer models, fluorescent proteins to barcode and image cell behavior, advanced microscopy and systems biology.

Snyder earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Grove City College and a doctorate in molecular pharmacology from the University of Pittsburgh.

“Dr. Snyder brings a different but equally compelling set of strengths,” Lingo said. “As a Grove City alum and a tenured professor at Duke University School of Medicine, he combines experience at a worldclass scientific institution with a deep love for this college. Like me, he was profoundly shaped by his years at Grove City and is passionate about investing in our students. I’m excited about the energy, vision and fresh perspective he will bring to our community.”

Peter Frank, provost and vice president of academic affairs, emphasized the significance of the dean role.

HOMAN

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fun stuff,” she said. “And then they take another psych class and come to realize ‘oh, it’s not quite as clear cut as it was presented in Psych 101.’”

Homan has written and published many research papers at Grove City, and her recent work has focused on a data set she worked with in Wisconsin on sabbatical. In 2018, she took a position as a visiting scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Homan set out with a particular aim.

“My goal, and I achieved it, was to get proficient with this big, national longitudinal data set,” she explained.

MIDUS, or Midlife in the United States, is a study that

By the 2000s, so many events had been added to the Parent’s Day lineup that the event’s name was revised once again to Family Weekend. It was also during this time that the traditional May Day festivities began to fall out of fashion.

Old MacDonald. Later, Alpha Sigma broke the rules and performed as a jazz band rather than a singing ensemble. According to Walczak, these antics continued until the mid1980s, when the rules were finally changed to allow dance moves, costumes and theatrics.

follows thousands of individuals over decades, gathering data on health and aging. Homan focuses on her work with this data set: how early adversity affects someone later in life.

“The most interesting stuff I’ve done is looked at how current relationships can help to almost make up for or undo some of those long-term deficits,” she said.

Looking back at her time at Grove City, her favorite moments “all come down to interactions with students and colleagues.

“I can think of so many times where we shared a laugh and had a great conversation or just connected in some way,” she said. “A lot of them are maybe kind of ordinary, everyday kinds of things, but

“With so many activities being added to the weekend, we started seeing a dwindling number of attendees to the May pageant. It also became extremely difficult to get students to participate. So in 2016, after the 100th year of the May pageant, the college made the difficult decision to end the tradition,” Walczak said. According to the archive website, the college archive put on an exhibit highlighting the 100th and final year of May Pageant at Grove City College. They also invited past May queens to participate in the festivities and carry out the tradition one final time.

that’s what I treasure. And that’s what I’ll miss the most, too.”

Homan and her husband will be retiring at the end of this school year, keeping Grove City as a home base, but taking time to travel.

“We wanted to have some years while we still have some energy to go visit the kids and just do some other stuff,” she said.

“We have signed up to do a bicycle tour in Vermont in October. And that will be the first time we feel retired. We’ve been spoiled, we’re used to having our summers off, but we’ve never been able to do something in October,” said Homan.

The Homans have taken biking tours for years and have made friends along the

way. On this one, they will be accompanied by a couple they met on a different tour years ago.

When asked if she had any last things to say to Grove City students, she explained, “They’re getting so much wisdom from so many other sources that I don’t know if I have much to add. … I’m not the only one who would say this, but get to know your professors, get to know your classmates and find your people.”

“Those relationships are really important, and they are lasting,” she added. “The truth is, you’ll forget a lot of what you’ve learned. There’s still great value in what we’re doing here. The relationships will endure. … I’ve really, really enjoyed my time here and I’m going to miss it a lot.”

“The dean is the most important academic leader of each of the three schools on our campus,” Frank said. “They work closely with me on a day-to-day basis to set the vision for all the academic majors and programs at GCC, and they work hard to ensure faculty have the time and resources necessary to provide students with academically excellent learning opportunities.”

Frank noted the importance of the careful selection process and expressed optimism about the new appointees.

“It was a really long process, but we wanted to try to be as thorough as possible. I’m excited about the opportunity to get started with these two. The academic deans are a really important part of the leadership on this campus and help steer the direction of the three schools. For me, they’re the people I work most closely with,” Frank said. “I’m really pleased with the outcome and pleased with the fact that we’ve come to a conclusion on the process.”

Wolverines best the Barons on Senior Day

The Grove City softball team swept Franciscan last Saturday on Senior Day, both games being called by the umpires due to the mercy rule.

It was an especially exciting day, being “the first time in about five years that we actually got to play on Senior Day,” senior catcher Kristin Tesch said.

The Wolverines quickly jumped to an 11-0 lead in the first inning of the opener, recording eight hits and using Franciscan’s eight errors to their advantage. They followed up with three more runs in the second inning, as well as another three in the fourth.

According to junior DH Alexis Jackson, the team’s energy was a huge factor in their ability to score so many runs in the first inning. Combined with the excitement of Senior Day and the gorgeous weather, it made for a positive and focused atmosphere.

Jackson and freshman first baseman Cora Myers led the offensive effort, going 3 for 4 and 3 for 3, respectively. Tesch and senior center fielder Noel Anthony had a 2-for-4 showing, with freshman shortstop Lily Meidl contributing with her own 2-for-2 showing. In addition, Myers and Tesch each put three runs on the board with RBIs.

Junior pitcher Abigail Meadors earned the victory by allowing only two hits and striking out seven batters. Grove City totaled 16 hits

and 17 RBIs in five innings, bringing the final score to 170. In the nightcap, the team tallied three runs in the first inning and eight in the second, widening Grove City’s lead to 11-0. Junior left fielder Evelyn Montone scored the first run on a sacrifice-fly from Jackson to begin the game. Sophomore catcher Sydney Shay added an RBI double and later scored on an RBI single from Meidl. The second-inning rally began with a two-run double from Myers, bringing home Montone and freshman third baseman Emma Vok. Tesch, playing DP in the second game, recorded two RBIs from a single, bringing in Jackson and Myers. Montone put

three runs on the board with a double later in the inning, followed by a sacrifice-fly from Shay. The final score was 11-3.

Montone and Meidl both went 2 for 3, Montone with three RBIs. Myers, Shay and Tesch each recorded two RBIs. Jackson pitched four innings and earned the win after allowing three runs and striking out two players. Meadors closed out the last inning and struck out two.

Prior to the doubleheader sweep, the Wolverines honored its two seniors, Anthony and Tesch.

“The seniors have had a tremendous impact on our team this year… (and) have done an incredible job of reminding us of (our team verse for the year)

Men’s lacrosse rolls past St. Mary’s and Thiel

Grove City men’s lacrosse extended its winning streak to eight games during a Saturday doubleheader with a 14-13 overtime victory against St. Mary’s (Md.), followed by a victory over Thiel 25-2 at Thorn Field. Against nonconference St. Mary’s, sophomore midfielder Ethan Binns scored the game-winning goal 49 seconds into overtime off an assist from senior attack Stewart McClain, finishing a game that featured multiple momentum swings and late-game execution from both teams.

Grove City controlled the opening quarter. Senior attack Mac Faircloth scored twice as the Wolverines built a 6-0 lead after 15 minutes. Sophomore attack Tyler Blazek, senior defender Sam Stevenson, junior attack Davis Schneider and junior midfielder Tyson Bui also scored during the run, giving the Wolverines an early advantage in both possession and tempo.

St. Mary’s responded in the second quarter, scoring four times to cut the deficit to 7-4. Binns and Schneider added goals late in the half to help Grove City carry an 8-4 lead into halftime, but the shift in momentum continued into the third quarter.

The Seahawks opened the second half with three straight

SPORTS continued from 16

Women’s Golf

Women’s golf has also put together a strong spring performance, placing top three overall in four of their six regular-season invitationals. Their consistency and im-

goals to trim the margin to 8-7, applying pressure in transition and capitalizing on extended possessions. The Wolverines answered through McClain and senior attack Rigdon Greene, and Bui scored in the closing second of the third quarter to give the Wolverines an 11-8 lead entering the fourth.

St. Mary’s continued to close the gap. Three consecutive goals early in the fourth quarter tied the game at 11, forcing Grove City to respond again. Greene converted with seven minutes remaining to put the Wolverines back in front, and Bui added his third goal of the game with five minutes left for a 13-12 lead.

St. Mary’s forced overtime, scoring with 16 seconds remaining in regulation, tying the game at 13 and completing the comeback. In overtime, Grove City gained possession and converted quickly. McClain found Binns cutting toward the goal, and Binns finished, securing the victory.

Bui led the Wolverines with three goals. Schneider recorded two goals and a team-high three assists, while Faircloth and Greene each scored twice. McClain added one goal and one assist in the win. Grove City held a 52-40 advantage in total shots and a 23-20 edge in shots on goal. Both teams collected 33 ground balls. Senior faceoff specialist Colton Lehberg led the Wolverines with

provement down the stretch is evident and should aid them in their quest for a PAC title this weekend.

The Wolverines’ highest team finish came on Saturday at the Allegheny Spring Invitational, where they placed second out of the seven-team field. Freshman Emily Burling earned medalist honors at this invitational, emerging victori-

10 ground balls. Defensively, senior defender Andrew Glasgow and junior defender Nate Clark each caused two turnovers. Grove City committed 14 turnovers, compared to 16 for St. Mary’s. Senior goalie Tyler Gladstone earned the win with seven saves.

Grove City completed a sweep of Saturday’s doubleheader with a PAC victory against Thiel later in the day. Freshman attack Owen Edkins scored a career-high seven goals, while freshman attack Jake Parker added five assists and freshman attack Mason Lyons recorded four assists. The win over Thiel marked the 100th career victory for ninthyear Head Coach Alec Jernstedt.

Riding high, the Wolverines continue to strengthen their regional dynasty in the area, going for seven straight conference titles, winning all since the PAC sponsored the sport in 2019. Also going undefeated in all their conference games, Grove City has a 51-0 regular season record and 12-0 playoff record against PAC opponents.

Grove City concluded the regular season Wednesday with a conference game at Hiram. Once again, Grove City clinched the one-seed for the upcoming PAC playoffs and will enter the NCAA playoffs with a lot of confidence if they win the conference.

ous from a field of 28 competitors.

Burling earned medalist at the Grove City Invitational on March 26 and has earned PAC Newcomer of the Week honors on multiple occasions this spring. Junior Lauren Kardos has also put together a successful run this season, placing second overall at numerous competitions this spring.

Ephesians 6:10: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

Both seniors expressed the joy they have experienced from being on the Grove City softball team, emphasizing the significance of the relationships they have formed along the way.

“As I graduate, I will look back on these seasons with gratitude for the growth, lessons and relationships that have prepared me for life beyond Grove City,” Anthony said.

throughout the season,” Jackson said. The team’s versew is

After playing Geneva and Hiram this past week, the Wolverines will go on to play their last game of the regular season at 1 p.m. tomorrow versus Saint Vincent. It is promising to be an intense and competitive game, with both teams battling for the final spot in the PAC tournament.

Sports at a glance

Upcoming

Emily Burling Women’s Golf Newcomer of the Week
Nate Clark Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week
Lily Meidl Softball Newcomer of the Week
Isaac DeMan Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
Taylor Blythe
Softball honored its two seniors, Kristen Tesch and Noel Anthony, during their games against Franciscan.

Spring sports in short

Wolverines prep for success in PAC playoffs

Reagan Thomas Staff Writer

Grove City College’s spring athletic programs enjoyed a successful 2026 season, highlighted by strong conference performances, consistent execution and depth across multiple sports.

Men’s Lacrosse

The Grove City College men’s lacrosse team delivered a strong 2026 season, finish ing with a winning overall re cord of 6-0 in PAC play with an overall record of 8-7. The Woldisplayed consistency throughout the spring, partic ularly in tightly con tested matchups that tested both physical and mental toughness.

Defensively, Grove City empha sized struc ture, com munication physical working limit oppo tunities in settled situations and transition. On the offensive end, the Wolverines relied on balanced scoring and efficient ball movement, allowing multiple contributors to make an impact throughout the season. The 2026 campaign highlighted steady development across the roster and positioned Grove City as a competitive and reliable presence within the PAC. The team hopes to compete for their seventh straight champion ship victory with veterans Sam Stevenston, Colton Lehberg and Stewart McClain leading the way.

tinguished itself as one of the most disciplined units in the conference. The Wolverines’ defensive group consistently limited opponents’ scoring, contributing to a program-record four shutouts. On the flip side, the Wolverines offense consistently came through in close games and was able to put the ball in the back of the net.

The 2026 season reflected both experience and growth across the roster, reinforcing Grove City’s identity as a fundamentally sound, well - organized program hoping to compete for its third straight PAC championship.

Baseball

Grove City College

baseball wrapped up the 2026 spring season with an overall record of 9-10 and a conference record of 4-2. The Wolverines navigated a competitive slate while maintaining momentum during key stretches of conference play.

Pitching proved to be a major strength for Grove City, as the staff consistently kept games within reach and limited opposing offenses. Strong starts, effective relief appearances and disciplined defensive play supported the team’s ability to stay competitive in close contests. Vet

that continue to drive Grove City’s success on the diamond.

The 2026 season reflected the program’s ability to handle pressured situations and continue building toward sustained success.

Softball

Softball put together a productive 2026 season with an overall record of 17-10 and a PAC record of 9-8. The Wolverines demonstrated steady growth as the spring progressed, earning key conference wins and maintaining consistency across series.

At the plate, Grove City relied on patience at-bats and smart base running to generate offense. Defensively, the team minimized errors and handled high-leverage moments with poise, allowing them to stay competitive in numerous close games. Key contributors such as Abigail Meadors, Noel Anthony and Kristin Tesch helped the team maintain a steady presence in the PAC.

The season showcased depth across the roster, with both veteran leadership and emerging contributors playing key roles. Grove City softball closed the spring encouraged by its performance and continued progress within the conference, and the team is optimistic about clinching another playoff appearance.

Men’s Track & Field

Men’s track and field enjoyed a successful 2026 outdoor season, consistently placing near the top of meet standings throughout the spring. The Wolverines displayed strong depth

Luke Patterson led consistent performances across multiple events throughout the spring. Caleb Morton and Josh Kline contributed key points in both individual and relay events. The 2026 season highlighted Grove City’s balance and prepara tion, reinforcing the program’s reputation as one of the most consistent and com petitive teams in the PAC.

Women’s Track & Field

The women’s track and field team turned in a strong 2026 outdoor season, consistently earning high placements in competitive meets. The Wolverines demonstrated versatility and reliability across a wide range of events.

Women’s Lacrosse

The Grove City College women’s lacrosse team put together a highly successful 2026 spring season, finishing with a strong overall record and posting an undefeated mark in Presidents’ Athletic Conference play 9-0 with an overall record of 12-3. Their consistency from game to game allowed them to remain No. 1 in the PAC standings all spring.

Defensively, Grove City dis

Individual performances and relay efforts anchored many of the team’s top finishes, while consistent scoring across running and field events underscored the program’s depth. The ability to contribute points throughout the lineup proved essential throughout the spring. Emily Peterson and Hannah Col lins anchored strong finishes for the Wolverines in com peti tive Ravan Becker delivered re liable performances that bolstered the team’s overall depth. As the season con cluded, Grove City women’s track and field reflected a cam paign marked by growth, consistency and development. The 2026 season further strengthened the team’s foundation moving forward.

sults of yesterday’s game, the points to competitors this season. DeMan also earned PAC Weekly Honors for his efforts in his Senior Day match against Westminster.

Men’s Golf

Men’s Tennis

Men’s tennis has been dominant in 2026, only dropping one match throughout their eight-game spring stretch. Because of their efforts, the Wolverines entered the PAC playoffs this week as the No. 2 seed. Depending on the re-

Throughout the second half of their split season, men’s golf has steadily improved, producing numerous individual top 10 finishes and impressive whole-team efforts. With the PAC spring championship this weekend, they will need to rely on the lessons learned this spring to put up a strong showing. After placing third overall at the fall PAC champs, the Wolverines turned in a first-place team finish at the Bethany Invitational on April 9, marking their first team victory of the year.

Individually, junior Nathan Young earned medalist honors at the McBride-Behringer-Allen (MBA) Invitational — his first at the collegiate level. Sophomore Luke Gronbeck tied for second at MBA and earned runner-up at the Thiel Invite. Together, Young and Gronbeck have earned a combined seven top 10 finishes this spring.

LUKE PAGLIA
Women’s lacrosse is in the hunt for their third straight PAC title. They are currently on a 13-game winning streak and will play their regular season finale tomorrow.

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