Alumni

One graduate responded to discussion posts while she was in labor. Another had to take a leave of absence during Hurricane Harvey but pushed through. Still another continued on her journey after her mother passed away from West Nile virus a few months after her father died. Despite all that life threw at them, GCU’s online students reached the finish line and completed their degrees.

Dr. Keziah Tinkle-Williams’ Commencement speech at the first of seven ceremonies for online learners Monday morning was powerful. She shared with the audience her struggles with multiple sclerosis and the importance of slaying our inner dragons that can prevent us from reaching our goals. Her speech was so inspiring, it resulted in a number of outbreaks of applause. “Stop selling yourself short. Be your own hero,” she concluded.

Drs. Alyson Bell and Johnny Fielder are just two examples of overcoming adversity and emerging victorious despite the hardships they endured along the way to their doctoral degrees. Bell juggled raising three children as a single mother, working fulltime as an educator and acting as a caretaker for her parents as their health declined. Fielder’s doctoral pursuit never wavered, even when a wildfire destroyed his home, leaving him and his wife with nothing but the small collection of things they were able to grab before evacuating. Both defied the odds and celebrated their accomplishments at Monday morning’s Commencement ceremony.

Births of children. Deaths in the family. Illnesses. And numerous other challenges. Despite it all, online graduates never gave up and are worth a hearty GCU celebration this week. Here are the stories of four more who made it to the Commencement stage, against all odds.

As Kendall Smith looked out to the audience at Friday evening’s Spring Commencement ceremony, she couldn’t help but reflect on her time at the University. An active member of the Honors College and the College of Arts and Media, she considered the opportunity to be the student speaker the perfect end to a memorable four-year journey at GCU. Smith expressed her gratitude in her speech for the love and care the university puts into every students experience. “I hope that students, when they graduate, that they’re proud to Lopes,” she said. “I hope all the graduates feel very thankful for all GCU has done for them.”

If you would have told Dr. Breanna Naegeli, when she first started working for the Honors College, that less than a decade later that she would be named the dean of the college, she never would have believed it. Monday afternoon, after 3 1/2 years as the college’s associate dean, Naegeli officially was named Dean during the Spring Faculty Conference. “The timing feels right, and it feels great to step into that dean role now that there is more experience under my belt and a growing vision ready to execute upon,” she said.

It was an action-packed weekend for the Honors College and its students. Its annual Next Generation Leadership Conference, “Serve with your Story,” was organized by students for students and provided attendees with the opportunity to learn from and network with industry professionals from a variety of fields. Speakers shared their individual stories and journeys with students, all while emphasizing the importance of serving others. “I really do feel like GCU attracts talented and mission-oriented students,” said Ryan Corry, Chief Strategy Officer for St. Vincent de Paul.

Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli was honored as a winner of the prestigious Athena Valley of the Sun Founder’s Award on Thursday night, and Dr. Parm Gulshan, a GCU doctoral graduate, received the Champion Award. Athena supports, develops and honors women leaders, and Naegeli and Gulshan were recognized for their contributions to their field and their impact on the community.

It’s not every day that a recent graduate can say they landed their dream job straight out of college, but Jaden Guilford is the exception thanks to the innovative steps he took while he was at GCU. His job as a graphic designer for the Phoenix Suns is the direct result of taking it upon himself to get to know industry professionals and, maybe more importantly, help them get to know him. “It was just kind of a snowball effect of me reaching out to people and them reaching out to me back,” he said.

Film students were excited to be back in Ethington Theatre on Thursday evening for the GCU Film Festival after it had to be held outdoors last year. The pandemic forced that move and also was evident in many of the 13 films that were shown. “The students really were facing a lot of changes, and the way they worked around it was amazing,” Film Department Director Lisa Tervo said.