GCU TODAY • 5
I
f you’ve been to a GCU event, you’ve probably noticed
the indelible spirit and sense of community that
permeates the crowd. The well-organized sea of purple
is made possible by the campus Event Services team. GCU
Today talked with Helen Bleach, senior director of university
relations and campus events, to find out how the events
come together, fromMove-In to commencement.
1
GCU hosts so many events during the year and
your team is an integral part of each.
What’s the granddaddy of them all?
There are so many,
but Move-In provides a first impression for incoming
students, and we do all we can for Student Engagement
to make it the best each year. Also, we strive to make our
men’s basketball games special and exciting for all.
2
What’s involved in planning spring
commencement?When does it start, howmany
staff and volunteers are involved and when do you
rest?
We actually have three commencements — in
October, December and April — so the planning really
never stops. Jennifer Girl, director of campus events, is the
commencement guru and makes the magic happen each
time with help from nearly 400 volunteers. The couch
in my office gets a lot of use by Jennifer the night before
ceremonies. She brings her sleeping bag in and camps here.
3
Through the looking glass, it seems that every
event goes offwithout a hitch. Can you describe
a humorous time when it wasn’t as picture perfect on
the inside as it was on the outside?
Just this year, one
of our basketball halftime acts got lost on their way to
campus from their hotel. I didn’t think they were going
to make it in time so I ran over to Emily Stephens, our
cheer coach, and said, “You’re up – do your nationals
routine or something.” She looked at me as the color
drained from her face and said, “Got it.” The girls hadn’t
practiced or warmed up for that, but it was all we had.
Thankfully, two minutes before halftime, the act made
it. But that is what we do. We get it done.
4
What does it take to pull offMove-In?
We’ve heard it’s five days long this fall.
It takes everyone, plain and simple. Every department on
campus works tirelessly to make Move-In happen. But it
wouldn’t be possible without our audio/video department,
Facilities, Catering and Student Engagement.
5
Your team has the best potlucks. What’s the
favorite dish?
It’s so random — from Mexican
food and mac and cheese, to Japanese cabbage salad and
water chestnuts wrapped in bacon.
MICHAEL FERRARESI
Got Your
Number
5 ON 5 WITH
GCUwill celebrate its
traditional and non-traditional
graduates during three days
of ceremonies this week. We
predict a plethora of purple
balloons and bouquets, along
with proud parents and other
familymembers, will make
spring commencement a
memorable time for all. Some
details about the Class of 2015:
Helen Bleach, Event Services
GCUwas among
five American
universities selected
by the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum
inWashington, D.C., to host education summits
to raise students’ understanding of the factors
leading to the Nazis’ systematic extermination
of Jews, political prisoners and otherminority
groups duringWorldWar II. A partner in
themuseum’s Levine Institute for Holocaust
Education, the University hosted the first
Belfer First StepHolocaust Summit this spring,
whichmore than 30GCUundergraduate
and graduate students attended. Dr. Michael
Trevillion, the College of Education director
of academic programswho secured the
partnershipwith the national museum, said GCU
studentswill have similarly exclusive access
to unique evidence, texts, multimedia and
expert speakers at future events. Trevillion,
a former middle-school history teacher, said
the University’s commitment will provide a
high level of Holocaust training for future
educators, which is particularly important
today given the methodical slayings of minority
groups in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Oh,
Yeah?
10,666
3,988
82
71
4,135
93
11/21/95
Total traditional and
non-traditional graduates
Total grads accepting
invitations to ceremonies
Percent of
traditional grads
from Arizona
Percent of
declared female
traditional grads
In GCU Event Services, each
week begins with a group
prayer and ends with a well-
deserved good night’s sleep.
The team is known for its
hard work, smiling faces and
enthusiasm, and it all starts
with Helen Bleach (bottom row,
center).
photo by darryl webb
Total College of Nursing
and Health Care
Professions grads, the
most of any college
Age of
oldest grad
Birthdate of youngest
grad (19)
