2 6 • GCU TODAY
GCU
Alumni
Johnathan Harris,
M.Ed. in Special
Education for
Certified Special
Educators, ’07,
is the founder and headmaster
of Lynnhaven Academy in
Richmond, Va. The academy
provides a comprehensive
college preparatory curriculum
while combining experiential
learning, academic excellence
and community reverence.
Robert “Cory”
Sanford, M.Ed.
in Education
Administration,
’08,
is assistant
principal at Dayton (Nev.) High.
Sanford previously was assistant
principal at his alma mater,
Yerington (Nev.) High, where he
started his teaching career.
Dr. Timothy Tait,
M.S. in Leadership
with an Emphasis
in Disaster
Preparedness
and Crisis Management, ’08,
and Ed.D. in Organizational
Leadership, ’12
, is communication
director for the Arizona
Department of Transportation
in Surprise, Ariz. Tait also is an
instructional assistant in GCU’s
College of Doctoral Studies.
Tasia Thompson,
M.Ed. in Education
Administration,
’08,
was promoted
from assistant
principal to principal at Ethridge
Elementary School in Lewisville,
Texas. Thompson has been with
the district since 1996.
Dr. Ysanne
Williams, M.Ed.
in Elementary
Education, ’09,
and Ed.D. in
Organizational Leadership with
an Emphasis in Instructional
Leadership, ’14,
was promoted
to reading and social studies
curriculum specialist at
Charles Baxter Junior High in
Fort Worth, Texas.
2010s
Jonathan
McMahan, B.S.
in Public Safety
and Emergency
Management,
’10, andM.S. in Leadership
with an Emphasis in Disaster
Preparedness and Executive
Fire Leadership, ’12,
is chief at
Rural Metro Fire Department in
Tucson, Ariz. McMahan previously
was a firefighter, engineer,
captain and battalion chief.
Alexis Quick, M.Ed.
in Curriculum
and Instruction:
Reading, ’10,
received the 2015
Teacher of the Year Award at
Sherwood Elementary School in
Pensacola, Fla. Quick has been
a kindergarten and first-grade
teacher for seven years.
Terri Anderson-
Schlader, M.Ed. in
Special Education:
Cross Categorical,
’11,
teaches in the
social-learning classroom for
special education students at
Huron (S.D.) Middle School. She
was the school’s Teacher of the
Year in 2014 for her dedication
to students.
Michael Varnell,
M.S. in Leadership
with an Emphasis
in Disaster
Preparedness and
Executive Fire Leadership, ’11,
is chief at Rocky Mount (N.C.)
Fire Department, where he has
worked for more than 25 years.
BryanMorris,
M.S. in Addiction
Counseling, ’12,
is senior pastor at
Morris Memorial
Baptist Church in Moscow, Tenn.
He previously was a minister to
youth and children for five years.
Jeffrey Pilz, M.S. in Leadership
with an Emphasis in Disaster
Preparedness and Executive Fire
SPOTLIGHT ON
Igor Kutovoy, ’99
When Igor Kutovoywas aGCUstudent in the late 1990s, hewas struck
by theway “wewere always looking tomake adifference, both inside the
University andout in the community.”
With that spirit firmly rooted inhismind, Kutovoy returned to
his nativeUkraine tomake adifference there, usinghis passion for
agriculture andhis country. The 1999graduate (BBA in Finance)
ismanager of theUkrainianoffice of JohnDeere, anAmerican
manufacturer of farmmachinery. Kutovoy, 37, also consults for
the government, is on the boardof directors of Ukraine’s largest
agricultural university andhelps support anorphanage formentally
challenged children.
Notmany people outsideUkraine knowthat it ismakingdrastic
reforms despite the threat ofwarwithRussia. Kutovoy said the country
is on track for one of the top farmyields in its history, and inKiev an
almost entirely newpolice force—withnewuniforms, cars andhigher
salaries—recentlywas sworn in, sweepingaway all but a fractionof a
unit beset by corruption.
“There’s a lot of optimism,” he said.
Kutovoy came toPhoenix as a foreign-exchangehigh school student
and soondecided toattend college in theU.S., too.WhenGCUoffereda
scholarship, he signedonas a Lope.
His enthusiasmfor theUniversitywas reflected inhis involvement in
student government andwillingness towork various campus jobs. And
aswithmany alumni, Kutovoywas stunnedbywhat he sawduringa visit
last Christmas.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “TheUniversity looks incredible.”
Kutovoy hopes to seeGCU-like growth inUkraine. “It’s extremely
exciting towitness all the change andbe part of it.”
