Grove City College history

In 1884, the trustees of Pine Grove Normal Academy in Grove City amended the academy charter to change the name to Grove City College.

By charter, the doors of the College were open to qualified students "without regard to religious test or belief." Isaac Ketler served as president until 1913.

During the summer of 1925, J. Gresham Machen gave the lectures that formed the basis of his book, What Is Faith?

Grove City is one of a handful of colleges (along with Hillsdale College, which did likewise after the aforementioned 1984 case) that does not allow its students to accept federal financial aid of any kind, including grants, loans and scholarships.

In response, Grove City College withdrew from the Pell Grant program entirely beginning with the 1988–89 academic year, replacing such grants to students with its own program, the Student Freedom Fund.

In October 1996, the college withdrew from the Stafford Loan program, providing entering students with replacements through a program with PNC Bank.

In 2005, Grove City founded its Center for Vision and Values, further advancing its programs in the humanities.

The college acquired an observatory from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in February 2008 that will be used for astronomy classes as well as faculty and student research.

STEM Hall was opened in August 2013 and provides laboratory space for students studying biology, chemistry, physics and computer science.

Gara received an apology from the school in October 2015.