GCU TODAY • 2 3
Uniformly Heroic
GCU alumni protect and serve
If you’ve ever wondered what
motivates a firefighter to enter a
burning building, a police officer
to fight crime or a soldier to
go into battle, you’re not alone.
With the anniversary of 9/11
approaching, here’s what some
of GCU’s finest public-servant
alumni said about their careers.
MatthewApodaca,
B.S. in Public Safety
Administration,
’99; lieutenant,
Glendale Police Department
Question:
Why did you pursue a
career in this field?
Answer:
I started out as a
firefighter at Rural Metro and was
intrigued by what police officers
did in the field. I applied to the
Glendale Police Department and
was hired as an officer.
Q:
What do you love most about
your job?
A:
I cannot wait to go to work
every day. My responsibilities are
to make sure the 72 officers who
work with me get home safely.
The most rewarding part of my
job is to see someone I mentored
move up in the ranks.
Q:
How did GCU prepare you?
A:
GCU gave me a great
educational foundation and
introduced me to philosophies,
cultural differences and
networking opportunities. It
helped me identify and solidify my
purpose and reach my goals.
Randy Graf Jr.,
B.S. in Nursing, ’13;
medical surgical
nurse, U.S. Army
Q:
Why did you
pursue a career in this field?
A: I always wanted to work in the
medical industry and I also wanted
to serve my country. I’mhappy
that I get to combine my passions.
Q:
Why do you love what you do?
A:
I get to work with people in
need every day. Being able to help
them is the most rewarding part.
Q:
How did GCU prepare you?
A:
GCU helped me to learn
everything that I needed to
know to become an Army nurse.
Currently, I am finishing my
training to work on the surgical
floor in the Army, which is the
main reason I went through so
much schooling and training.
Karee Lansbery,
M.S. in Leadership:
Disaster
Preparedness
and Crisis
Management, ’08; firefighter,
Phoenix Fire Department
Q:
Why did you pursue a career in
this field?
A:
It wasn’t until my brother, Keith
Lansbery, now a retired Phoenix
firefighter, said, “If we’re going to
have women on the job, we should
have women like you.”
Q:
What do you love most about
your job?
A:
It is a great feeling to know I’m
able to help somebody in a state
of emergency. There are very few
people who have the opportunity
to love what they do and get
fulfillment from helping others.
Q:
How did GCU prepare you?
A:
GCU made me more
marketable and helped me
become more aware and
thankful for the interactions I
have with others. Because of my
degree, it will be easier for me to
retire, knowing I have other skills
I can utilize.
Lon Spencer,
B.S. in Public Safety
Administration,
’03, andM.S. in
Executive Fire
Service Leadership, ’07; captain,
DaisyMountain Fire Department
Q:
Why did you pursue a career in
this field?
A:
When I was 14, I entered a fire
Explorers program and learned
what it meant to be a firefighter,
to be on a team and give back to
the fire service.
Q:
What do you love most about
your job?
A:
I enjoy being part of a team. I
also have the opportunity to teach
others the skills and knowledge
that will help them develop within
their careers.
Q:
How did GCU prepare you?
A:
The education I received from
GCU helped me combine my on-
the-job training and experiences
and my leadership skills to add
depth to my capabilities. That
makes me a more efficient and
effective leader and manager.
Lainn Caldwell,
B.S. in Public Safety
Administration,
’00; sergeant,
Phoenix Police
Department
Q:
Why did you pursue a career in
this field?
A:
I was a fire border patrol
agent in California, and it wasn’t
what I had expected. I started a
contracting business, but it didn’t
take off as well as I’d hoped. I
took the job at Phoenix Police
to feed my family and ended up
loving it.
Q:
What do you love most about
your job?
A:
Knowing and seeing that I
make a difference. There are
moments when we do something
for somebody truly in need, and
that’s gratifying.
Q:
How did GCU prepare you?
A:
When I was at GCU, I was
still an officer, and my courses
helped prepare me to become a
supervisor and understand the
larger picture. They also helped
me think more critically and be
more successful.
Charles Sloan,
B.S. in Public
Safety and
Emergency
Management, ’12; sergeant first
class, Arizona Army National
Guard
Q:
Why did you pursue a career
in this field?
A:
I wanted to be something
bigger than myself. There’s no
greater honor than to wear the
nation’s uniform.
Q:
What do you love most about
your job?
A:
As the unit readiness
noncommissioned officer, I
am responsible for the overall
readiness of 88 soldiers. I enjoy
taking care of the soldiers
and feel a sense of pride from
teaching them something they
can use later on.
Q:
How did GCU prepare you?
A:
GCU inspired me to be a
more creative thinker and
helped me realize there is more
than one way to do something.
My professors inspired me in
such a way that, when I retire, I
want to become a teacher and
impact my students the way my
professors inspired me.
PAIGE GRUNER, ALUMNI RELATIONS
