Antelope Intros is a recurring GCU Today feature that introduces some of our new employees to the people around them in a way that is fun and informative. Employees are eligible to be featured in the month following their orientation.
BRITTANY PATTON
Job title: Enrollment counselor
Job location: Tempe
What attracted you to GCU? Oh, what a marvelous testimony! I applied in January for positions at GCU but was unable to get an interview. I was working for another institution and I was so unhappy. Even after a promotion, I had a hard time sleeping. I decided that I’d rather be unemployed. The job had taken away all of my faith and I was depressed, but then I went to church. A young lady stopped me and inquired about my hair and I gave her my number. The next day, I called her and we became friends and she was an employee of GCU! She gave me a referral and I received a call from a beautiful young lady named April Fields -- and the rest is history!
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? I am a fruit peddler. I can dip 150 pieces of fruit in fewer than 45 minutes! I like to look at myself as the generic version of Edible Arrangements. I enjoy creating and being an entrepreneur. I sell virgin extensions wholesale and individually, and I am a stylist and makeup artist as well.
What are you passionate about? Self-help books that focus on love, relationship/team building, conflict coaching and poverty. I do not do well with stories with characters. I have a terrible memory. I forget what I ate for breakfast!
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? I mentor during my off times. I created a network of young, educated Christian women who mentor young girls who have been through sex trafficking. I teach them self-love, confidence, dating and more. I also love Custom Kreations Boutique because I have a partnership with them and we sell everything beautiful for girly-girls who like pink! (Must like pink, bows and tulips.) I also like Rejected Thrifts Boutique.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I was a pageant girl. I am a plus-size woman, and I have won two pageants and participated in three.
What are you most proud of? I do event planning, and my last contract was for a fashion show for a local boutique in Jackson, Miss., in which we raised more than $4,000 and had a turnout of 1,500 people. I was truly amazed by the success of the show because we did four months of round-the-clock planning and spent what seemed like hundreds of dollars on Starbucks.
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FRANCISCO CHAVEZ
Job title: Inbound call center specialist
Job location: 27th Avenue Office Center
What attracted you to GCU? I studied at GCU for three years and also worked as a student worker and loved everything about GCU, so I decided to stay longer to be part of GCU’s growth.
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? I enjoy hanging out with friends, especially those from my church youth group. I also like to learn new songs on the piano.
What are you passionate about? I love the medical field and I love playing the piano. I will soon be applying to medical school and studying to become a pediatrician. I hope I still get a chance to sit and play my piano once in a while.
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? During the summer days, I try to stay in as much as possible to avoid getting toasted. I recently discovered that paintballing has become one of my new hobbies. When it is not too hot, I like to spend my time doing outdoor activities.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I am the pianist of a worship team at my church. Also, some people don’t know that I took my first college course when I was 13 years old (my freshman year in high school).
What are you most proud of? Graduating with my associate's degree a week before earning my high school diploma and three years later graduating from GCU with my bachelor's degree.
