Do you feel like you made any concessions to come to a school that is reasonably priced?
Quite to the contrary. Academically, socially and spiritually-speaking, the college blessed me in a host of ways that I did not anticipate or ask for. In this respect, I truly believe that the institution issues a promising word to the world of Christian higher-education: More can be done for less.
How was your faith strengthened and perhaps even challenged during your time here?
Every Christian student comes to college with some internal jangle and jumble and the unintegrated pieces of a Christian vision. My four years at Grove City College helped me to connect essential truths across the curriculum and get a better picture of God’s world and his work.
How do the academics challenge students to think on a deeper level about the world and life in general?
The Core Curriculum is the glory of our liberal arts program. In a day when many institutions are tossing the idea of a core in favor of mere career-prep, Grove City College still challenges the young person to think about the fundamental and perennial questions of life and to cultivate those humane skills that define an educated person.
What do you find to be the most unique aspect of Grove City College?
Undoubtedly, its beauty. And I don’t just mean the campus: Our grounds and facilities are extraordinary, but the school also offers a beautiful education. James Joyce once talked about the “splendor of truth”—the “realities” which “give and sustain life.” My time at Grove City College helped me to see this splendor in a variety of different studies, and it changed me, fundamentally.
How would you describe the relationship that the students have with each other on campus?
Grove City College isn’t your sprawling state school down the road, and when it comes to campus community, this relative smallness is a plus. Students here really feel like parts of a communal whole. They find an environment which fosters friendship. I think about E.F. Schumacher’s phrase: “Small is beautiful.”That sentiment is certainly true of student life at Grove City College.
Can you tell us if and how your time at Grove City College prepared you for your vocation?
Grove City College gave me a solid foundation for graduate studies. My professors encouraged me to grow in my discipline and do meaningful work. Now that I have returned to teach here, it is an honor to have these lights as colleagues and friends.
Learn more about Grove City College's B.A. in English.