Community

You still can break out your ten-gallon hat and shiny cowboy boots if you want, but Habitat for Humanity of Central Arizona is moving its annual “Blueprints and Blue Jeans” fundraising gala online. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday and will feature a message from GCU President Brian Mueller and appearances by Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and former Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.

The abrupt transition of ground classes to the online platform could have weakened the strong bond students have with the Honors College, but its administrators wouldn’t let that happen. They have established a number of ways to keep students engaged with their peers, and one of them, Tuesday Night Trivia, has continued into the summer.

A team from Canyon Professional Development, part of GCU’s K12 Educational Development, hosted a webinar last week in which it advised 80 officials from Christian schools about educational challenges created by COVID-19.

“It just broke my heart,” Military/Business Operations team member Vanessa Garcia said of not being able to visit with residents of the Arizona State Veteran Home this year for Salute Our Troops. The residents there haven’t seen their families in person for 11 weeks, ever since access to the facility has been limited because of COVID-19 precautions. But employees found a way to celebrate veterans Thursday with a parade of family and friends that was socially distant, followed by a lunch that thanked the veterans’ home employees.

The Canyon Angels have a new vehicle investors can use to put their money in startups. Here’s why it’s called a sidecar fund and how it contributes to the circular relationship between Canyon Angels and Canyon Ventures.

A lot happened at GCU near the end of the 2019-20 academic year, but nothing could come close to the significance of COVID-19 forcing students off campus in March. Athletics also felt the brunt of the pandemic with the WAC Basketball Tournament and spring sports being canceled, but the hirings of new basketball coaches Bryce Drew and Molly Miller made for a promising future.

There is one overarching factor in how GCU administrators and faculty are judged: Did their students get good jobs after graduation? It is the true meaning behind the University’s “Find your purpose” slogan. “It’s the passion to serve our students that our faculty and staff have,” Provost Dr. Hank Radda said, “which makes them willing to dive in, shepherd and advise students toward their ultimate career goal.”

When an opportunity to help alumni presents itself, GCU’s Alumni Relations Department and its Phoenix chapter jump on it. Friday afternoon, with the help of Canyon 49 Grill, they handed out meals to 56 alumni who are suffering financially because of the pandemic.

GCU’s effort to produce cloth face masks has been joined by College of Fine Arts and Production costume designer Nola Yergen, who has recruited several GCU Hotel employees to add pleating. It makes the coverings fit more like traditional hospital masks, but it’s important for an even bigger reason. “This is about teamwork,” Yergen said.

GCU and GCE employees came through in a big way when they were given the opportunity to donate money for the University’s production of personal protective equipment (PPE). The goal, with GCU and GCE matching each donation dollar for dollar, was $100,000, but the final total was nearly twice that. Employees also are jumping in to help with PPE production.