DIGITAL GCU Today AUG issue

GCU MAGAZ I NE • 1 1 This is by far the largest economic-development success story that Arizona has ever seen, based on the number of jobs that have been created, the amount of capital invested in the economy and the thriving student graduates that are a part of our community.” —SARA DIAL, FORMER ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE DIRECTOR AND LEAD INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR OF GCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS “From Day 1, I just wanted to meet as many people as I could because that’s the best way to hear people’s story and know what their heart is,” Carpenter said. As a Resident Assistant (R.A.) his sophomore and junior years, his passion for his fellow Lopes grew, leading to his election as ASGCU president. In that role, he emphasized diversity and the expansion of clubs and organizations. “Students can take what they are passionate about and create something with it and make it flourish (here),” Carpenter said. “That is so unique; it doesn’t take long processes and years to build to get something done. It can take a couple weeks. It might be stressful at times, but it is amazing when it comes to creating opportunities for our students.” Upon his graduation in April with a degree in business management, Carpenter was hired as a university counselor. He plans to begin a dual master’s program at GCU in January, for Business Administration and Science of Leadership, followed by law school. Carpenter is a keen-minded mentor to Wolfe, who aspires to be a minister, politician or community developer and relates well to GCU and its volunteer partnerships with west Phoenix, a neighborhood similar to his birthplace in Virginia. “I was born into an impoverished community, a lot of what this (west Phoenix) community looked like a while ago, and that impacted me,” said Wolfe, who was adopted by two government employees (CIA and NASA) who moved the family to San Diego. Upon graduation from Foothills Christian High School, his life journey continued at GCU. “I think it was crazy for me coming to a new city, coming to a new college, and wondering what it’s going to look like,” he said. “I know there was some time in the early stages of my freshman year where I really asked the question, ‘Is this the place for me?’ “I have phenomenal people in my life, and my parents and my mentors just encouraged me to keep sticking it out, to invest in myself. When I decided to go all in on the opportunities here, that’s when things really turned around. “This university loving and investing in me really pushed me to turn around and invest in other people. There was a commitment from President Mueller all the way down to invest in students.” As an R.A., a Discover GCU student worker, a member of the