8 • GCU TODAY
s a student at Canby High in northwestern
Oregon, Bryce Beatty filled his days with
chemistry, honors biology, advanced
placement physics and playing shortstop
for the baseball team.
But when he came to Grand Canyon
University in 2012, Beatty traded
his mitt and jersey for latex gloves and an apron. For the then freshman,
focusing on his major — biology with an emphasis in pre-med — required
protection for his hands and clothing in GCU’s cadaver lab.
Despite his considerable high school science background, Beatty knew
he would need some help in chemistry as he pursued a career in spine
surgery. As soon as he arrived on campus, he requested tutoring help from
the Center for Learning & Advancement (CLA).
Now a junior in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology,
Beatty is one of GCU’s top science tutors. He helped inspire University
leaders to restructure the tutoring system and is assisting with its success.
There’s extra credit, of course: “If you can teach it, you know it,” he said.
Narrowing the focus
Tutoring has evolved over the past 18 months during a perfect storm of
change at GCU. The administration wanted to boost the membership
and profile of its Honors Institute and study abroad program, both
housed in the CLA, and expand course content on the rapidly growing
ground campus.
It became clear that offering tutoring specific to University degree
programs was a must, and if it was more fun, interactive and accessible, all
the better.
Through their experiences in the CLA last year, Beatty and other tutors
had noticed gaps in students’ abilities to complete homework, study for
Sophomores AaronWidger
and Brittney Poggiogalle work
with GCU tutor Bryce Beatty,
a junior, in the University’s
Learning Lounge.
photo by darryl webb
Brain Gain
University
expands tutoring
efforts to reach
more students
B Y J A N I E M A G R U D E R
“To teach is to learn twice.”
—
French essayist Joseph Joubert
