2 8 • GCU TODAY
GCU
Alumni
School. Beebe
previously was a
special education
teacher in the
Detroit Public
Schools, a paraprofessional
educator for Rochester (Mich.)
Community Schools and a
therapist in Arizona.
Matt Brase, MBA
with an Emphasis in
Leadership, ’11,
was
named head coach
of the Houston
Rockets’ NBA Development
League team, the Rio Grande
Valley Vipers, based in Hidalgo,
Texas. Brase previously was
the Rockets’ director of player
development.
Kimberly Moreno,
M.E. in Special
Education, ’11,
is New Jersey’s
winner of the
prestigious $25,000 Milken
Educator Award. Moreno, a
health sciences teacher at
Union City High in Union City,
is among 40 recipients of the
award, given in recognition for
teaching abilities and potential.
She also is a curriculum writer
and course developer for
Rutgers University, and her
students earn college credits at
Rutgers’ medical school.
Jerrold Story,
M.Ed. in Teaching
English to
Speakers of Other
Languages, ’11,
launched a literacy-focused
website, Snap-Teach. The reading
comprehension website and
apps are for first- through fifth-
graders and teach that reading
can be fun.
Thomas McSwain,
M.A. in Christian
Studies with
an Emphasis in
Pastoral Ministry,
’12,
recently published the
book, “Don’t Fight the Darkness:
Promotion God’s Way.” The story
is about characters who have
lost their way and how God can
unleash their potential to fulfill His
promises. McSwain is pastor of
Old Hopewell Missionary Baptist
Church in Collins, Miss.
Lisa Branson, M.S.
in Nursing with
an Emphasis in
Nursing Education,
’13,
has been accepted into the
International Nurses Association.
Branson is a registered nurse
at SONIFI Health in Sioux Falls,
S.D., where she specializes in
clinical education and improving
patient outcomes and patient
experience. Branson has more
than seven years in nursing and
received the 2013 Daisy Award
for Extraordinary Nurses from
the Daisy Foundation for her
dedication and hard work.
Marc Hanna, B.S.
in Public Safety
and Emergency
Management,
’13, andM.S. in
Leadershipwith an Emphasis
inDisaster Preparedness and
Executive Fire Leadership, ’15,
is an investigator in the Davidson
County Sheriff’s Office in Lexington,
N.C. Hanna has a 20-year career in
lawenforcement and recently was
promoted to sergeant.
Ashley Min, M.S.
in Health Care
Administration,
’13,
is the new
director of
SPOTLIGHT ON
Julie Cotton, ’99
If you thought you sawa familiar face onNickelodeon’s “Talia in the
Kitchen,” itmight be because 1999GCUalumna JulieCottonplays the part
of themain character’s aunt.
Cotton, whohas a theatre degree fromtheCollege of FineArts and
Production, has a recurring role in the teen sitcom, whichdebuted last
summer.
AsAunt Tilly, she plays foil toTalia, a teenagerwho infuses foodwitha
littlemagic. Inone slapstick scene, Talia accidentally squirtswhite frosting
all over Aunt Tilly’s black robe, andanomelet that Taliahad just flipped in
the fryingpan lands onher aunt’s head.
Through it all, Aunt Tilly remains stern, her
mouthdroppingopen inannoyeddisbelief as the
eggs land inher hair.
Cotton, 37, enjoys the role andhas appearances
in several future “Talia in theKitchen” episodes, but
shewon’t give away the plot.
She has beenacting since shewas young, but
most of her roles have beenon the stage.
“This is all very newtome because I ammore of a theatre girl,” she said.
Cotton lives inDelray Beach, Fla., where she has earned local acting
acclaimas aSickPuppiesComedy improvmember. Her resumé lists
dozens of acting, directorial, stagemanagement and choreography credits
inaddition to experience inprops, costumes, musical directingandbox
officemanagement.
She is a longway fromher desert roots. Bornand raised inArizona,
Cottongraduated fromAlhambraHighandgot her acting start in local
youth theatre.
HerGCUeducationhadaprofound effect onher body ofwork, and
Cotton feels honored tohave studiedunder excellent faculty, among them
ClaudePensis, COFAPdean, Dr. SheilaCorley, GCUvoice instructor, and the
latePaul Bridgeman, aGCU theatre instructor from1990 to2006.
“Theywere so immersed in the program, they had sucha respect for the
art formand the craft,” Cotton said. “Iwas blessedwith somany nurturing
peoplewhohave fedme, inspiredme. I amwho I amtoday because they
contributed tomy life.”
Alumna Julie Cotton,
playing the role of Aunt
Tilly on Nickelodeon’s
“Talia in the Kitchen,”
gets sprayed with
frosting and topped with
a fried egg.
photos courtesy of nick
.
com
Julie Cotton
