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GCU MAGAZ I NE • 29
Jennifer Smestad,
B.A. in
Communications,
’15,
recently
recorded her first
music single, “It’s Only Rain,” at
the GCU recording studio.
Smestad, who has Tourette
Syndrome, says the song is
intended to share the healing
power of music.
Claudia Barrientos,
MPAwith an
Emphasis in
Government and
Policy, ’15,
is an
accountant with Elbit Aerospace
Systems of America in San
Antonio, Texas. Barrientos has
worked with the city of San
Antonio for 17 years and served
on the East Central Independent
School District board for the last
eight years.
Linda Anders, MBA
andM.S. in
Nursing: Nursing
Leadership in
Health Care
Systems, ’15,
has been inducted
into the International Nurses
Association with her publication
in the Worldwide Leaders in
Healthcare. Anders is a clinical
nurse educator for UnityPoint
Health Trinity Muscatine (Iowa).
Keith Rogers, B.S.
in Justice Studies,
’16,
recently
completed an
internship on
Capitol Hill with congressmen
from District 1 of Indiana. Rogers
worked on a team for Northwest
Indiana’s Fundraising for
Demolition, a project that helps
eliminate abandoned homes to
make room for financial growth
in low-income areas.
Eric McFee, Ed.D. in
Organizational
Leadership:
Effective Schools,
’16,
is the new
superintendent of Murray County
(Ga.) Schools. In his more than 28
years in education, McFee has
held multiple positions, including
physical education teacher,
Spanish teacher, athletic director
and principal.
Christy Kiser, B.S.
in Accounting, ’14,
and M.S. in
Accounting, ’16, is a
tax accountant at
REDW LLC, a public accounting
firmwith locations in Albuquerque,
N.M., and Phoenix. Kiser’s primary
responsibilities include preparing
tax returns and reporting foreign
assets for clients of the firm.
Dr. April Williams,
Doctor of Nursing
Practice, ’16,
is a
nursing faculty
member at
Lenoir-Rhyne University in
Hickory, N.C. Williams started in
the medical field when she was 19
and has worked in ophthalmology,
neurosurgical intensive care,
clinical nurse education and as a
travel intensive care nurse.
Kristy Sedlacek,
M.Ed. in
Educational
Administration, ’16,
is principal of
Learning Bridge Charter School
in Ely, Nev. Sedlacek was born and
raised in Ely, where she attended
the local elementary and high
schools.
GCU NEWS & NOTES
Students turn storage idea
into a world-class concept
Even world champions don’t have time to rest on their laurels.
Grand Canyon University alumnus Luke Amargo turned a
car accident that destroyed his belongings into a business idea.
Namely, connect people in need of storage with those who have
space to spare.
Amargo enlisted three current GCU students — Josh
McGuire, Jedidiah Woods and Braeden Scheer — and Storage
Together was born. The startup concept won best overall honors
along with the “Best Solution” category at the Smart City App
Hack International Expo on Nov. 16 in Barcelona, three weeks
after they won the Phoenix Smart City Hack competition.
Given the numerous networking opportunities in Barcelona,
the group began crucial steps toward finding and securing
funding, business development and partnership ideas to begin
and sustain their business.
“We also experienced something few startups do: a global
platform where people from all around the world come together
to collaborate and learn,” Woods said. “This is one of the most
valuable things we took home.”
Colangelo College of Business assistant professor Tim Kelley
called the victory “a tip of the iceberg” with the way startup
ideas and concepts are coming out of the Colangelo College of
Business.
“It’s an idea. It’s an alpha or beta test but hasn’t yet proved
it can be a company,” Kelley said of Storage Together. “That
challenge is making the business real, which is much different
than just doing (idea or sales) pitches.”
The team is eager to take the next step.
“We met so many global businesses people who could very
potentially be partners, and we already have started reaching
out to them as well as many connections already communicating
with us,” Woods said.
—MARK HELLER
The GCU contingent in Barcelona. From left: Braeden Scheer,
Chelsea Evans, Luke Amargo, JoshMcGuire and JedidiahWoods.