Grove City College President Bradley J. Lingo ’00 encouraged students to ask big questions and embrace the College’s core values as he reflected on the College’s distinctively Christian approach to higher education at Opening Convocation.
Lingo, who became the College’s 10th president in July, delivered his remarks Wednesday to a crowd that included regalia-clad professors and hundreds of students gathered in Harbison Chapel to mark the formal beginning of the 2025-26 academic year.
The two most critical questions that students will face at Grove City College are the same ones that were put to Christ by Pilate in the hours leading up to the crucifixion, Lingo said. “Who is Jesus? And what is truth?”
“In asking Christ ‘what is truth?’ … Pilate is mocking the very idea of truth and saying, ‘I don’t care about the truth.’ Pilate would be at home at many universities today … disregarding truth in favor of the wishes of the crowd,” Lingo said. “The pursuit of truth used to be the purpose of a college — the reason institutions of higher learning existed. Today, many schools see truth as a concept too dangerous to touch, much less teach.”
The search for truth is at the heart of Christianity, and Grove City College empowers students to seek it in their studies, Lingo said. “Whether you study mathematics, chemistry, economics, or theology … if you pursue truth all the way down, at the end of that, you will find Christ. As we master the subjects of our studies, we discover the wonder of His ways. And as we do that, two things happen. We are transformed, and we are set free,” Lingo said.
The College’s values – faithfulness, excellence, community, stewardship, and independence – “are our shared aspirations,” he said. “They describe the kind of place we want to be at Grove City College and the kind of students we want to produce.”
While living up to those commitments is not easy work, it is rewarding, Lingo said. “But there is great joy in doing hard things. One of my deep hopes for each of you is that while you are here, you know the joy of working hard to pursue excellence – and then using your gifts to create things that are beautiful, excellent, and that make our world a better place,” he said.
College is often seen as preparation for bigger and better things to come – a career, a family, success – but Lingo urged students to embrace the opportunity to be transformed by faith, wisdom, and knowledge that Grove City College offers.
“The years you are living now, yes, they are preparation for life. They are preparing you to live out your calling,” Lingo said. “But you are not here just waiting to live your life, you are called to be here in this community, and you are living your real life right now. This is not just a time of preparation for ministry, but a time to minister. Not just preparation to be a leader, but a time to lead. Not just a time waiting, but a time of living.”
As he closed, he reflected on the College’s past and looked ahead to its future. “We stand for truth, we stand for faith, and we stand for freedom, even when that stand is costly,” Lingo said. “As we start 2025-2026 academic year and look ahead to the College’s 150th anniversary, there’s never been a more important time for a school like ours, and there’s never been a more important time for students like you.”
Watch Opening Convocation here.