Posted By Gettysburgian Staff on Apr 28, 2023 | 6 comments

By Alfredo Roman Jordan, Staff Columnist
I came across a comment by a parent on an old opinion piece. The parent expressed their desire to read more positive opinions about the college and what kids like about it, instead of the recent negative ones. This made me wonder about the image we are portraying of the College by only expressing negative opinions. As a result, I spent a whole shift at Commons ranting with my coworkers about the positive parts of the College. By the end of it, I thought it would be a good idea to write them down and write a positive opinion for once.

Firstly, we are fortunate to have professors at Gettysburg who are genuinely interested in our education. They have remained committed to their profession despite minimal wage increases and global pandemics, all for the sake of providing us with the best education possible. Most of professors prioritize teaching over research, always putting our needs ahead of their own. They put in extra effort to ensure that we understand the course material, and are always available to answer our questions and provide guidance—apart from the time they already dedicate to having extended office hours. Their dedication and passion for teaching add tremendous value to our college experience.

In addition to the professors, the campus itself is a beautiful place to learn and grow. With its historic buildings and expansive green spaces, Gettysburg College provides an idyllic setting for both academic pursuits and personal development. Whether we are studying in the library or taking a walk around the campus, we are constantly surrounded by the beauty of our surroundings, which can inspire creativity and enhance our learning experience.

Another advantage of receiving a Gettysburg Great education is the tight-knit community that we are a part of. The College is small enough that we can get to know our peers and professors personally, fostering a sense of connection and belonging that can be hard to find at larger institutions. Whether through extracurricular activities, clubs or social events, we have many opportunities to build relationships with our classmates and create meaningful connections that can last a lifetime.

Furthermore, going to a school of a more manageable size allows us to have extremely small classes (average class size of 18) and a small student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, according to the tour guide handbook. This makes our education incredibly personalized as we are constantly being taken care of by our professors and advisors and have an ease in reaching out to them individually that we wouldn’t get at a large state school. These strong bonds with our professors allow us to use them as advocates and mentors, forming relationships that will help us well past our four years at Gettysburg.

One of the things that I appreciate about Gettysburg College is the plethora of opportunities available to students. From research opportunities to internships and study abroad programs, the College offers many avenues for students to explore their interests and gain valuable experience. Most of these opportunities like X-SIG, Pohanka and study abroad offer financial help and stipends, ensuring that every student can take advantage of them. These opportunities can help us build our resumes and set us up for success after graduation.

In conclusion, Gettysburg College has a lot of positives, and even though we tend to focus on the negatives it is always good to keep the bright side of things in mind. So the next time you think too negatively about the college, remind yourself: maybe Gettysburg is Great after all.