How has your faith been affected during your time at Grove City College? Have you seen a connection between faith and learning in your classrooms?
When I came to Grove City College in the fall of my freshman year, my faith was very weak. By being challenged in the classroom and in my social circles, I realized many things about my walk with the Lord that needed to be corrected. The difficult academics and pressures of college life helped me to develop a deeper faith and a stronger relationship with the Lord. The connection between faith and learning in my classroom has always been prevalent. It has helped me to grow in my faith and also to interweave my Christian worldview into all aspects of my education and my life.
Tell us about your academic experience at Grove City College. Has the College’s focus on the liberal arts affected your educational experience?
Grove City College has challenged me to become a more dedicated student. I attended a difficult high school, but the adjustment to college was still a growing experience. The College’s focus on liberal arts has helped me to become better at collegiate discourse. This focus has also helped me to become better educated on a wide variety of topics because of the course requirements. I feel that Grove City College has prepared me well for my professional goals, and part of this preparedness comes from the focus on the liberal arts.
What are the relationships between professors and students like?
My relationships with my professors are very important to me. I enjoy spending time discussing politics and life with my professors in class and also during office hours. The political science professors are always willing to invest in my life and help me to pursue my academic and professional goals. I also work as a Professors’ Assistant for Dr. Michael Coulter, and this has been a wonderful experience to work with the Department of Political Science. I really appreciate the environment at Grove City College and the desire of the professors to invest in the students.
Tell us about an experience (working on a campaign, an internship, studying abroad) or an extra-curricular group or activity and how it impacted you.
Attending the International Justice Mission (IJM) club on campus impacted me and directed me in my professional goals. Through my involvement in IJM at Grove City College, I learned about the horrors of human trafficking. After learning about the prevalence of human trafficking in the world, my heart broke, and I knew that I wanted to spend my life stopping this injustice. I discovered that I wanted to spend my life showing God’s love to these people by working for an organization like IJM. This on-campus group helped me to determine my professional goals and helped me to get plugged in on campus through a group I really care about.
Why did you study political science?
When I was a junior in high school, I was sponsored to attend Keystone Girls’ State, a week-long program in the summer to educate high school girls about state government. During my experience, I realized that I was interested in political systems and how they could be used to preserve good in the world. I study political science because I want to learn how to further God’s kingdom and His work through politics. My personal skill set and interests fit well for a job in the nonprofit sector of Washington D.C., and a major in political science helps me to prepare for a career in D.C.
Learn more about Grove City College's B.A. in Political Science.