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?
Grove City College has strengthened my faith a great deal. When I started at the College, I considered myself a Christian, but I knew very little about my faith and I often struggled to reconcile Christianity with some of the mores of modern life. In the classroom, my professors helped me to understand the importance of Christianity as an intellectual foundation. Outside of the classroom, the campus community allowed me to grow in my faith without the discouragement that is present in so many other places. Together, the classes and the supportive Christian community at Grove City College have helped me to develop a strong foundation in Christianity that will serve me for a lifetime.
Tell us about your academic experience at Grove City College. Has the College’s focus on the liberal arts affected your educational experience?
There is no doubt that the academics are tough, but the rewards are worth it. Freshman fall was a bit of a culture shock for me – I was used to coasting in academics and still getting A’s. Since then, I have overcome these challenges and I am a better student for it. As a writer, as a researcher, and as a thinker, I have no doubt that Grove City College has prepared me for the next level.
What are relationships like between professors and students?
In the classroom, professors have challenged me to defend my ideas and helped me to grow as a thinker. Lessons I learned in classes like Historiography and American Political Thought remain in my mind to this day. Outside the classroom, I have developed a pretty close relationship with several of my professors. Professors have offered me professional advice, personal wisdom, and prayer. There have been many occasions where a simple question during office hours has ended in a 30-plus minute conversation. During periods of personal hardship, moreover, professors have prayed with me and showed genuine concern. I don’t know if there is another college in the world with such decent and kind faculty members.
Did Grove City College’s affordability play a role in your college decision?
Grove City College’s relatively low tuition, low-interest student loans, and need-based aid were one of the reasons that the College was the right fit for me. Because of Grove City College’s low-cost education, I have friends in state schools who actually borrowed more than I did.
Why did you study pre-law?
In 4th grade, my teacher told me, “Sam, you like to argue and you’re good at it. You should be a lawyer.” That remark stuck in the back of my mind. Since then, I’ve always considered law as a potential career.