What is the relationship like between the students and the professors?
Before I entered my freshman year, I was encouraged that in college, I would inevitably find exactly what I was looking for. That advice was true in friendships, in academics, in campus life, and especially in the relationship between Grove City students and their professors. The professors in both of my majors were all so kind, so intelligent, so willing to get to know students inside and outside of the classroom. Academically, my professors encouraged excellence and helped me to learn the subjects and skills that would ultimately help me grow into a competent professional. Even more importantly, particularly by my professors in the Modern Languages department, I grew to be personally known and cared for. My Spanish professors always had their doors open to listen to the joys or struggles of my days and to offer Biblical wise counsel. Whatever students are looking for, they will find—and if they are seeking to build strong relationships with their professors, they will have no trouble doing so.
What are some of the ways that professors ensure that students not only receive information but truly learn and understand how to apply that information?
Dr. Knupp, in one of her upper-level Spanish classes, organized a language and culture exchange with members of Pittsburgh Latino Community Center, in which Spanish students from the class had weekly conversations with Spanish-speaking community members in Pittsburgh which were followed up by reflection assignments. This cultural exchange helped our community members improve their English, helped my classmates and me improve our Spanish, and improved the cultural competency of everyone involved. Dr. Killam, in his Spanish ministry class, began each class period with a time of worship in Spanish. The final project in that class was to research and present about Spanish-speaking churches in our own communities. Through these activities, my classmates and I grew to appreciate cross-cultural worship both in general and in our hometowns. One Saturday, Dr. Carruth drove several members of Alpha Mu Gamma (the Modern Languages honorary) to a Latin American & Caribbean festival in downtown Pittsburgh, where we tasted Latino food, spoke with community members, and had a great time enjoying one another’s company. Dr. Carruth heard about this event and organized the weekend excursion for the purpose of helping us gain a practical understanding of their classwork and to cultivate a deeper relationship with us. Beyond these highlights (and I could describe many other examples of how the professors strove to help students practically apply classroom knowledge), each professor displayed a daily love for both the subject and the students. Grove City professors design their courses with intentionality to situate the subject matter within the context of history, culture, and most importantly, the Christian life. When I reflect on my time at Grove City college, the mentorship from my professors—academic and beyond—fills me with inexpressible gratitude.