Campus Life

GCU News Bureau There’s no question that Lip Sync Battle is one of the most popular events of the year. Students streamed in the GCU Arena doors an hour early Thursday evening to cram into most all of the 7,000 seats, before gyrating to loud music. By the opening video showing President Brian Mueller, wearing long hair and playing the guitar to Kiss classic “Detroit Rock City,” they were ready to have some fun. Eight teams competed in the Canyon Activities Board’s student-run extravaganza, led off by the team of Pitch Imperfect and its gymnastic flips and music that took the crowd through their coming of age. They ended up the winners. The 13 members had never performed in a contest before. They got a standing ovation.

Family Weekend at GCU keeps growing and growing. This year, 7,000 have registered for three days of fun that will include some new events, such as Tour de Thunder Bolt and Guided Prayer Tours. “We put out the welcome mat for them, per say, to just have a great time,” said Robyn Hord of the Office of Welcome Programs.

GCU’s Eta Chi chapter of Delta Mu Delta, the international business honors society, keeps giving Colangelo College of Business students more reasons to join if they are lucky enough to receive an invitation. It now ranks among the top 10 chapters in the country, and this year its members received four scholarships from the organization — the first time the chapter has gotten that many. Students with 24 GCU credits and in the top 20% of their class are eligible.

Are you going to be a thermometer or a thermostat? That was the challenge from Ashley Wooldridge of Christ’s Church of the Valley in his Chapel talk Monday morning. In other words, are you going to just accept the way the world is shifting away from God, or are you going to try to change it?

ASGCU President Sam Yonan and his student government team have been busy already this year, working to improve campus shuttle routes and organizing events to encourage recycling and raise awareness about harassment. “We want to keep an open ear to students on anything they need to be changed,” Yonan said. “We do represent students.”

Six medical professionals spoke to Grand Canyon University students Wednesday night about what it takes to get into their field. They emphasized that it’s not just a matter of mastering a specific medical skill — they want to see applicants who are well-rounded.

You see someone in need, and you sympathize. You might even empathize. But do you show true compassion? That’s what Riccardo Stewart wanted to know in his Chapel talk Monday morning. The pastor of Redemption Tempe cited one of Jesus’ miracles as an example of how He didn’t just sympathize or empathize — he acted. But first He did something just as critical: He looked at the person.

The power is in the discussion for Katy Long. That’s her motto, and her College of Education students hear it over and over — and then regularly get to see just how powerful that talking can be. But Long is passionate about lots of other things in education and beyond, particularly the opportunity to pass on her knowledge. She also is quite the sports fan and was on a national championship team in college.

A $3.2 million grant from the Kern Family Foundation will help GCU develop an accelerated pastoral training program in which students will be able to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Divinity in five years. GCU is matching the Kern Family Foundation’s investment by providing the other half of the $6.5 million needed to launch and build out the program over the next five years.

Freshmen in STEM fields who wanted to learn how to suture got their opportunity this week during Living and Learning Communities Week. A dozen students who aspire to be in health care practiced stitching up cuts on pigs’ feet because it is the closest to human skin.