GCU TODAY • 1 5
afterschool director and auditorium manager.
“That’s the beauty of this program and what I’m
trying to bring to my program. They teach you to
be a successful artist, whether you get into a show
or not,” said Anderson, 23. “There are still 20 other
things you can do. You’re always employable.”
Jeff Dykhuizen
Videographer, 1013 Communications,
Phoenix metro area
Jeff Dykhuizen never attended journalism
school, but you wouldn’t know it by watching
himwork. Dykhuizen, who produces stories for
the East Valley Tribune and the Daily News-Sun,
soaked up technical knowledge from his COFAP
experience and good story skills as a GCU Today
student worker.
“I got a lot of hands-on training at GCU,” said
Dykhuizen, 28, a 2014 digital film graduate. “I
had really good people around, and I watched
and listened and learned.”
He was researching film degree options online
when he noticed GCU’s programs. Enrolling as
a junior, he wasted no time drawing attention
to his work. A film on which he collaborated,
“Zoey,” earned the best picture award at a GCU
Film Festival and also won him best director at a
48-Hour Inter-School Film Challenge.
As a professional videographer, Dykhuizen
often works alone, fanning out across the
Valley, camera, bag and notepad at the
ready. Among his favorite stories (viewable
at yourwestvalley.com) are the Miss Senior
Arizona pageant, a Luke Air Force Base fighter
jet pilot and Phoenix Zoo elephants.
His fearless approach to film often is seen in
journalists.
“I look at every single point as a potential
pitfall, and that keeps me on my toes. I feel
incredibly lucky and a sense of obligation to get it
right,” Dykhuizen said.
Gavin Ely
Master’s student in choral conducting,
University of Arizona Fred Fox School of
Music, Tucson
Gavin Ely dabbled in Spanish, pre-med and
biology before figuring out that music was his
purpose, and he could find it at GCU.
Ely mesmerized audiences with his tenor
voice in the Ethington Theatre opera, “H.M.S.
Pinafore,” and in four other big plays there.
He sang in three GCU choral groups and held
leadership roles in two choir organizations.
A busy life — Ely and his wife, Cadie,
have three children ages 3 and under — got
even busier after he graduated with a vocal
performance degree in April. He’s enrolled
in the master’s program in choral conducting
at the University of Arizona, from which he
intends to graduate in 2017.
Ely, 27, largely credits COFAP’s faculty
for his success. Pianist Mark Fearey “knows
everything, plays everything and is a fantastic
role model.” Dr. Juan Hernandez, COFAP’s
assistant dean and director of music, “knows
the music and its historical setting.” Dr. Sheila
Corley, a GCU vocal instructor, helped him
decide to become a conductor.
In Tucson, Ely has soloed with the University
Community Chorus and sung with the Tucson
Symphony Orchestra Chorus, among others.
“Vocally, my education definitely gave me
the skills and confidence to really go for it, to
not be afraid, to not hold back,” he said.
Devyn Garrett
Carpenter, Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix
Devyn Garrett grew up working in her
grandparents’ hardware stores in Tucson, but
until she came through COFAP, she didn’t
know how to use even a hammer.
Not a problem now for the new carpenter at
Phoenix Theatre. Garrett, 23, started there in
August, a few months after graduating with a
theatre degree, and has since worked on “The
Wizard of Oz” and “The Toxic Avenger” sets.
College theatre was eye-opening for
Garrett, who acted with Christian Youth
Theatre as a teen. She dove into Ethington’s
set design shop and auditioned for a small role
in “A Christmas Carol.”
“It was so humbling,” she said. “It made
me realize how important every role, every
entrance is.”
Garrett grew as an actor, delivering a
memorable performance as Ado Annie, the
incorrigible red-haired flirt in COFAP’s big
“Oklahoma!” last spring.
She also learned to hammer, sew, light
and do basic electrical work. She can even
tap dance, which will pay off later this month
when she fills in for GCU dance senior Corinne
Tachuk at two shows at Theatre Artists Studio
in Scottsdale.
Garrett was Phoenix Theatre’s first intern,
a program established by COFAP assistant
dean Bill Symington. With his pull and her
skills, it’s no surprise she was snapped up
when a job opened.
Her backstage workspace is piled high with
pieces of wood and metal, tools and enough
sawdust on the floor to make you sneeze. “I love
that I get to wake up and come here,” she said.
Cori Hailmann
Teacher, Raymond S. Kellis High, Glendale
Some of the 80 students in Cori Hailmann’s
dance classes at Raymond S. Kellis High knew
very little about dance when they first came to
the studio. That’s OK, because she didn’t start
dancing until high school, either.
“I tell my students, I don’t care if you are the
best dancer in here, but if you are the hardest
worker in here, you are going to be successful,”
said Hailmann, 23, who graduated in April
with a dance degree and seven job leads.
Hailmann worked hard at GCU, catching
up with other students who had years of dance
experience, performing in and choreographing
shows. She was concerned about the job
market before graduation, but the faculty was
always encouraging.
“They said, ‘There are options out there,’”
she said. “‘Don’t think about what you can’t do,
think about what you can do.’”
Hailmann carefully observed Susannah
Keita, dance department director, and other
professors during her time at GCU.
During a recent class, she demonstrated
her way with students as they warmed up with
yoga stretches and jumping jacks. That day,
she’d had to inform students whether they’d
made it into an upcoming performance.
“I’m proud of every single person in here,”
Hailmann told them. “Come talk to me so I
can tell you what you can do to modify your
dance and try again. Please, please, please re-
audition. It’s always better the second time.”
After all, opportunity always knocks more
than once.
Jeff Dykhuizen has parlayed his digital film degree and video-journalism
experience at GCU into an interesting career.
photos by darryl webb
Cori Hailmann (left) graced GCU’s stages
numerous times as a dancer.
.
