Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
Vision, mission and values
Grove City College strives to be the best Christian liberal arts college in America, developing leaders of
the highest proficiency, purpose and principles ready to advance the common good.
Grove City College equips students to pursue their unique callings through an academically excellent and
Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to affordability and its
promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of free society, and the love of neighbor.
Unique in the higher education landscape, Grove City College is defined and guided by these
foundational values:
Faithfulness – We are committed to the faith of our founders and service to God.
Excellence – We are devoted, in and out of the classroom, to the highest standards.
Community – We foster engagement through shared experiences and respect.
Stewardship – We honor our responsibilities and manage our resources wisely.
Independence – We value institutional autonomy and a heritage of freedom.
These high ideals result in extraordinary outcomes for students and graduates, including:
94 percent freshman retention rate
13:1 student faculty ratio
83 percent graduation rate
96 percent job and graduate school placement rate
14 to 19 percent higher starting and mid-career salaries
$453,000 return on investment
Established in 1876 and grounded in conservative values, Grove City College is a pioneer in independent
private education and accepts no federal funds, including student loans, as a matter of principle. Despite
that, tuition is about half of comparable top-ranked colleges and universities, and the College offers a
number of scholarships and access to private, low-interest loans for students. Nearly half of students
graduate with little or no debt.
Located north of Pittsburgh, the College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher
Education and routinely recognized nationally as one of the country’s top colleges by U.S. News & World
Report, The Princeton Review and others based on academic quality and overall value. Grove City
College is nationally known for its commitment to faith and freedom – individual, academic and religious –
and delivering an unmatched education. With 60 majors in humanities, sciences and the arts, along with
30 minors, students have the opportunity to pursue scholarly achievement under the guidance of
accomplished and caring faculty. Dedicated to the Christian intellectual tradition, Grove City College
explores the critical questions that faith raises and the answers it offers. The College avoids narrow
sectarianism and encourages a diverse student body.
With more than 130 active student groups, including 27 Greek organizations, there’s no shortage of
things to do on campus. Varsity and intramural sports, music, ministry, theater, entrepreneurship and
other opportunities abound.
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
Grove City College fact sheet
Admissions
Acceptance rate: 82%
Average SAT, ACT scores: SAT 1195/ACT 26
Average GPA: 3.68
Costs/financial aid
Tuition: $16,630
Room & board: $9,062
Percentage of students who receive financial aid: 61%
Graduate debt-free: 46%
Academics
Enrollment: 2,392
Top five majors (by enrollment): Mechanical engineering, biology, communications
studies, business management, accounting
Student to faculty ratio: 13:1
Full time faculty: 153
Student life
Male to female ratio: 50:50
In-state: 54%; Out of state: 45%
Foreign: 1%
Diversity/race: 93% Caucasian/non-Hispanic; 7% Hispanic, Asian, African American,
multi-racial, foreign
Live on campus: 96%
Study abroad: 7%
Greek life: 19%
NCAA Div. III and club athletic participation: 22%
Outcomes
Freshman retention rate: 94%
Graduation rate: 78% (4-year); 83% (6-year)
Placement rate: 97%
20-year net salary ROI: $453,000
Avg. starting salary: $48,800
Employer campus visits: 344
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
How we rank (2016-2017)
Outcomes
“Best 381 Colleges” – Princeton Review
“Best National Liberal Arts Colleges 2017” – U.S. News & World Report
“A-plus Schools for B students” – U.S. News & World Report
“America’s Top Colleges” – Forbes
“College of Distinction” – Colleges of Distinction
“2016 Smartest Choice Schools” (#2) – College Raptor
“Best Undergraduate Engineering Program” – U.S. News & World Report
Value
“Colleges That Pay You Back” – Princeton Review
“Best Value Colleges” – Forbes
“Best Value National Liberal Arts School” (#10) – PayScale
“Best Value Private School” (#65) – PayScale
Christian
“Top 50 Christian Colleges and Universities” (#5) – Christian Universities Online
“Christian College of Distinction” – Colleges of Distinction
“Best Value Religious School” (#18) – PayScale
Conservative
“40 Best Colleges for Conservative Values” (#3) – Newsmax
“Top Conservative College” – Young America’s Foundation
Quality of life
“Most Beautiful College in the North” (#1) – Christian Universities Online
“Friendliest Students” – Niche
“Best Small Town Colleges” – BestColleges.com
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
Who’s who at Commencement
Vice President Mike Pence, Commencement speaker
Michael R. Pence is the 48th Vice President of the United States. He was previously Governor of Indiana,
a six-term Congressman representing east-central Indiana, an attorney and a radio and television talk
show host.
Vice President Pence was born in Columbus, Ind., and grew up with a “front row seat to the American
Dream.” Watching as his parents built up a successful business, he learned to believe in the importance
of hard work, faith and family. Vice President Pence earned a bachelor’s degree in history in 1981 from
Hanover College, where he renewed his Christian faith, which is the driving force in his life. He attended
Indiana University School of Law, where he met his wife. Together they have three children.
After graduation, Vice President Pence practiced law, led the Indiana Policy Review Foundation and
began hosting The Mike Pence Show, a syndicated talk radio show and a weekly television public affairs
program in Indiana.
In 2000, he ran for Congress and entered the U.S. House of Representatives at the age of 40. On Capitol
Hill he established himself as a champion of limited government, fiscal responsibility, economic
development, educational opportunity and the U.S. Constitution. He served as Chairman of the House
Republican Study Committee and House Republican Conference Chairman.
In 2013, Vice President Pence was elected the 50th Governor of Indiana. He brought the same limited
government and low tax philosophy to the Statehouse in Indianapolis. As Governor, he enacted the
largest income tax cut in Indiana history, lowering individual income tax rates, the business personal
property tax, and the corporate income tax in order to strengthen the state’s competitive edge and attract
new investment and good-paying jobs.
It was Indiana’s success story, Vice President Pence’s record of legislative and executive experience,
and his strong family values that prompted President Donald Trump to select Mike Pence as his running
mate in July 2016. The American people elected President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence on
November 8, 2016. President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence entered office on January 20,
2017.
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
Saleem Ghubril, Baccalaureate speaker
Saleem Ghubril is a committed and passionate advocate for children and for the City of Pittsburgh. An
ordained Presbyterian minister, he has devoted his life to serving the people of his community through
outreach and education programs.
In 1985, Saleem founded The Pittsburgh Project, a community development organization that annually
provides free home renovations to hundreds of vulnerable seniors, and mentors, educates, and deploys
thousands of volunteer youth in meaningful community service initiatives. Saleem led The Pittsburgh
Project until 2008, when he assumed the leadership of The Pittsburgh Promise.
The Pittsburgh Promise is a regional economic and workforce development entity that focuses on
transforming the quality of education and life in the City of Pittsburgh, and making higher education a
reality for all of Pittsburgh’s urban youth.
He is currently the volunteer pastor of the Mosaic Community Church in Pittsburgh. He also serves on the
boards of The Buhl Foundation, Vibrant Pittsburgh, and the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.
Paul J. McNulty ’80, Grove City College President
The Honorable Paul J. McNulty ’80 is the ninth President of Grove City College. Prior to returning to his
alma mater in 2014, Mr. McNulty spent over thirty years in Washington, D.C., as an attorney in both
public service and private practice. In 2005, the United States Senate unanimously confirmed Mr.
McNulty to the position of Deputy Attorney General, the second in command at the U.S. Department of
Justice and the Chief Operating Officer of the department’s 100,000 employees. He also served from
2001 to 2005 as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and was a leader in our nation’s
response to the terrorist attacks of September 11.
Mr. McNulty also worked for more than ten years as a senior attorney in the U.S. Congress, including as
Chief Counsel and Director of Legislative Operations for the House Majority Leader, Chief Counsel for the
House Subcommittee on Crime, and Counsel for the House Ethics Committee.
From 2007 to 2014, Mr. McNulty led the global corporate compliance and investigations practice for
Baker & McKenzie, one of the world’s largest law firms. He’s considered an expert in business ethics,
corporate governance and internal investigations.
Mr. McNulty received Grove City College’s Alumni Achievement Award in 1998 and an honorary
doctorate in 2007. From 2004 to 2014, he served on the College’s Board of Trustees and chaired the
Enrollment and Student Affairs Committee. In 2003, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree
(LLD) from Capital University School of Law where he received his juris doctorate degree in 1983. He
also served for 28 years as an elder in McLean and New Hope Presbyterian Churches.
Mr. McNulty met his wife Brenda (Millican ’80) at Grove City College. They were blessed with four
children, and now also have two sons-in-law and two grandchildren.
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
Class of 2017 is largest in College history
GROVE CITY, Pa. (May 16, 2017) – Vice President Mike Pence will address the largest graduating class
th
in Grove City College history on Saturday when he speaks at the College’s 137 Commencement.
The College expects to confer 606 bachelor’s degrees in the arts, science, music, electrical and
mechanical engineering, making the Class of 2017 the largest graduating cohort in the school’s 141-year
history.
Commencement begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20, on the Quad between Harbison Chapel and
Crawford Hall on the campus of Grove City College, weather permitting. Access to campus will be limited
and tickets are required to attend commencement.
Vice President Pence will deliver the keynote address to graduates, their families and the larger Grove
City College community. It will be livestreamed at www.gcc.edu/livestream and on the College’s
Facebook page. It is the first of just three graduation season addresses on the Vice President’s schedule,
followed by remarks at University of Notre Dame on Sunday, May 21, and at the U.S. Naval Academy on
May 26.
The 606-member Class of 2017 breaks a record established in 2010, when the private Christian liberal
arts and sciences college graduated 596 seniors. It also follows a strong year in 2016, when 595 students
earned degrees. In recent years, Grove City College’s four-year graduation rate has climbed to 78
percent, while its six-year graduation rate has reached 83 percent, more than 20 points higher than the
national average.
“We’re particularly thankful for the ‘good to great’ progress we’ve been making in our upper class
retention. Our students are finishing strong with extraordinary placement results,” College President Paul
J. McNulty ’80 said.
At commencement, the College will award honorary degrees to the Vice President (Doctor of Laws) and
Baccalaureate speaker Rev. Saleem Ghubril (Doctor of Divinity) in recognition of their significant
contributions to their chosen fields and society.
A little more about the Grove City College Class of 2017:
606 graduates (311 women/295 men.)
197 Bachelor of Arts, 327 Bachelor of Science, 17 Bachelor of Music, 23 Bachelor of Science in
Electrical Engineering and 42 Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
From 35 states and 4 foreign countries.
27 average ACT and 1208 average SAT.
Grove City College (www.gcc.edu) is a highly ranked, nationally recognized private liberal arts and sciences college that equips students to pursue
their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to
affordability and promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of a free society and the love of neighbor. Established in 1876, the College is a
pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers students degrees in 60 majors on a picturesque 180-acre campus
north of Pittsburgh, Pa. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Grove City College is routinely ranked as one of the
country’s top colleges by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and others based on academic quality and superior outcomes.
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
College prepares to welcome Pence to campus
GROVE CITY, Pa. (May 11, 2017) – Grove City College welcomes Vice President of the United States
th
Mike Pence to deliver the keynote address at the College’s 137 Annual Commencement at 10 a.m.
Saturday, May 20, on the Quad between Harbison Chapel and Crawford Hall on campus.
It is the first of three commencement addresses the Vice President will deliver this season, followed by
the University of Notre Dame on May 21 and the U.S. Naval Academy on May 26. He is the first sitting
vice president to speak at Grove City College and the highest ranking government official to ever visit
campus. Vice President Pence also will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree from the
College.
“We are proud to welcome the Vice President and we are thankful that our graduates will have the
opportunity to bear witness to his deep and abiding faith, quiet humility, and compelling leadership in
challenging times,” President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said. “This will be a lifetime memory for the class of
2017.”
Michael R. Pence is the 48th Vice President of the United States. He was previously Governor of Indiana,
a six-term Congressman representing east-central Indiana, an attorney and a radio and television talk
show host.
Vice President Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, and grew up with a “front row seat to the American
Dream,” according to the White House. Watching as his parents built up a successful business, he
learned to believe in the importance of hard work, faith and family. The Vice President earned a
bachelor’s degree in history in 1981 from Hanover College, where he renewed his Christian faith, which is
the driving force in his life. He attended Indiana University School of Law, where he met his wife, Karen.
Together they have three children.After graduation, Vice President Pence practiced law, led the Indiana
Policy Review Foundation and began hosting “The Mike Pence Show,” a syndicated talk radio show and
a weekly television public affairs program in Indiana. In 2000, he ran for Congress and entered the U.S.
House of Representatives at the age of 40.
On Capitol Hill he established himself as a champion of limited government, fiscal responsibility,
economic development, educational opportunity and the U.S. Constitution. He served as Chairman of the
House Republican Study Committee and House Republican Conference Chairman. In 2013, the Vice
President was elected the 50th Governor of Indiana. He brought the same limited government and low tax
philosophy to the Statehouse in Indianapolis.
In July 2016, President Donald J. Trump selected then-Governor Pence to be his running mate. On Nov.
8, 2016, he was elected Vice President of the United States.
Grove City College (www.gcc.edu) is a highly ranked, nationally recognized private liberal arts and sciences college that equips students to pursue
their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to
affordability and promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of a free society and the love of neighbor. Established in 1876, the College is a
pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers students degrees in 60 majors on a picturesque 180-acre campus
north of Pittsburgh, Pa. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Grove City College is routinely ranked as one of the
country’s top colleges by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and others based on academic quality and superior outcomes.
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
Saleem Ghubril, pastor and advocate,
is Baccalaureate speaker
GROVE CITY, Pa. (April 19, 2017) – The Rev. Saleem Ghubril, executive director of The Pittsburgh
Promise, will speak at Grove City College’s 2017 Baccalaureate service at 7 p.m. Friday, May 19, 2017.
Rev. Ghubril is a committed and passionate advocate for students and strong communities. An ordained
Presbyterian minister, he has devoted his life to serving others through outreach and education programs.
“Grove City College is honored to have a speaker of Rev. Ghubril’s faith, character and experience
address our graduates on the eve of their commencement,” College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said.
“His work with The Pittsburgh Promise will inspire our students to use their gifts and education to serve
the common good, a tenet central to the mission of Grove City College.”
As head of the Pittsburgh Promise, a regional economic and workforce development entity, he is focused
on transforming the quality of education and life in the city and making higher education a reality for all of
Pittsburgh’s urban youth. He also serves as volunteer pastor of the Mosaic Community Church in
Pittsburgh, which holds a vision of nurturing a growing interracial, international and intergenerational
community of believers. He also serves on the boards of The Buhl Foundation, Vibrant Pittsburgh and the
World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh.
Born in Beirut, Rev. Ghubril and his family fled the Middle East city during Lebanon’s civil war and settled
in Iowa in 1976. He and his wife Patti have two children and live in Pittsburgh.
Grove City College (www.gcc.edu) is a highly-ranked, private liberal arts and sciences school that offers a rich academic experience at an amazing
value in Christian community of learners. Founded in 1876, the College is committed to the principles of faith and freedom, a pioneer in independent
private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers its 2,500 students degrees in more than 50 majors in the liberal arts, sciences, engineering
and music on a picturesque 180-acre campus north of Pittsburgh. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and routinely
ranked among the best colleges and universities in the nation by Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and others.
Media Contact: Jacki Muller, Senior Director, Office of Marketing & Communications
724.458.3302, [email protected]
Vice President to grads: You are called to lead
GROVE CITY, Pa. (May 20, 2017) –Vice President Mike Pence on
Saturday exhorted the members of the Grove City College Class of
2017 to pursue their dreams with “persistence and determination.”
Making his first commencement address as Vice President, Pence
cited Grove City College’s history of standing firm to its core values,
and told graduates they had earned a degree “minted in an
institution of principle and independence, and you can be proud of it
your entire life.”
Grove City College awarded 606 bachelor’s degrees in the arts, science, music, electrical and mechanical
engineering. The class set a school record that the Vice President noted in his remarks.
“You are the largest graduating class in the history of Grove City College,” he said. “The great class of
2017. It is a joy to be here, to look out across this group of young women and men of accomplishment
and great character.”
The Vice President’s message about determination resonated with the crowd of about 5,000 that filled the
College’s Quad despite cloudy skies and unseasonably cool temperatures. He earned applause and a
standing ovation.
“You leave here with a responsibility of leadership. You are called to lead, fearlessly. Be men and women
of integrity with a servant’s heart. Expect opposition, and persevere,” the Vice President said. “Grove City
College class of 2017, this is your day. The future is yours. Go out and get it.”
Pence, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the College, broke with tradition and
joined College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 to shake the hand of each and every graduate, offering
some a pat on the shoulder or quick hug as they moved across the stage to receive their diplomas.
Grove City College also conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree on the Rev. Saleem Ghubril,
who preached at Friday evening’s Baccalaureate service. Ghubril, a Presbyterian minister, is the
executive director of The Pittsburgh Promise, a regional economic and workforce development entity.
Grove City College (www.gcc.edu) is a highly ranked, nationally recognized private liberal arts and sciences college that equips students to pursue
their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to
affordability and promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of a free society and the love of neighbor. Established in 1876, the College is a
pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers students degrees in 60 majors on a picturesque 180-acre campus
north of Pittsburgh, Pa. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Grove City College is routinely ranked as one of the
country’s top colleges by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and others based on academic quality and superior outcomes.