Archive for July, 2019

More and more GCU students and employees are saving money on their daily commute to work. They find a carpool buddy through ShareTheRide.com, hop on a bicycle or take public transportation. In just the last six months, Eden Adams, who runs the GCU Trip Reduction Program, has seen participation rise 12.5%, to 581 commuters. They are not only eligible for monthly prizes and can take advantage of free bus passes, last year Lopes in the program prevented the emission of 48 tons of pollution. One more benefit, says Andre Anderson, a university counselor who takes the bus and light rail: “There’s so many interesting people you see every day, and conversations develop.”

In this week’s Fitness Facts, Connie Colbert has the details on what causes mononucleosis and how to prevent it. Find out how it is most commonly spread.

In this week’s Mental Health Vitamin, Dr. Deb Wade describes four types of parents who get in the way of their children’s development. She also lists the things parents can do to create children who mature into responsible, self-sufficient adults.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Grand Canyon University are already teaming up for big wins. The GCU Learning Lounge that opened in April at the Brewers’ training complex in Maryvale created a unique partnership between a Major League Baseball team and university that garnered the Governor’s Tourism Award for an urban partnership last week in Tucson. “It’s such a unique and forward-thinking program, and it shows a commitment by both GCU and the Brewers to the neighborhood they share,” said Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism.

It was after a rash of drownings in the early 2000s that GCU basketball great Ray Arvizu and the late Robert Ortiz came up with an idea to organize Niños Seguros, with the focus being on keeping children safe. That back-to-school and safety fair, now in its 15th year, returned to GCU on Saturday. About 1,500 to 2,000 west Phoenix students picked up backpacks and school supplies, received basic health screenings, including from the University’s nursing students and staff, and joined in the community celebration that also featured vocalists and ballet folklórico dancers. “We have great Hispanic families and great entrepreneurs. We’re proud of our Hispanic heritage. We’re proud of our schools. … At the end of the day, we’re just trying to make it better,” Arvizu said of the community-building and culture-rich event.

College of Fine Arts and Production graduates Klay Wandelear and Brenna Warren both earned a master’s degree this summer from East 15, a branch of Essex University, and enjoyed the experience so much, they’re staying in England for the time being. They said their time at GCU prepared them well. “I think I would have had a really hard time if I hadn’t spent so much time in Ethington Theatre,” Warren said. “How it worked set me up to be a dedicated and respectful actor.”

For the second straight quarter, GCU’s nursing graduates have posted the highest first-time pass-rate among the state’s major universities on a national licensure examination. They exceeded a 98% first-time pass rate for each of the first two quarters of 2019 on the National Council Licensure Examination, which determines whether a student is ready to start working as a nurse. “The fact that we’ve been able to sustain those high first-time pass-rate numbers two quarters in a row shows that we’re doing the right things,” said Amy Leach, the college’s NCLEX Success Manager. “… We’re performing well compared to what the national and state standards are.”

Through four different trips this summer, 79 Honors College students benefited from some eye-opening experiences in 13 different countries in Europe, Central America and Southeast Asia. “You can see that these students start to think on a global perspective,” Program Manager Dennis Williams said. “They start to think about the world as a whole and start to think about ways that, whatever it is that they do, how they can have an impact in their local community in whatever way, in our nation but even globally.”

In this week’s Fitness Facts, Connie Colbert provides a thorough explanation of what you should know about cold sores and canker sores. The good news: There are things you can do to treat them. The bad news: For most people, there’s no way to prevent them.

In this week’s Mental Health Vitamin, Dr. Deb Wade compares a healthy marriage to taking care of your finances. Deposits — good. Withdrawals — bad. Find out what ratio she suggests having between the two.