Community

Kirk Cameron’s Fall Commencement keynote address underlines the importance of perseverance. The former “Growing Pains” star and now prominent Christian actor addressed GCU’s most recent group of graduates with congratulations and a powerful message of overcoming fear, fulfilling their mission and finishing the race. “This was really exciting,” Cameron said. “I was a little nervous, I’ve never done it before … I knew with all these Christian families, it was just really a special blessing to be part of this day that they’ll remember for their whole life.”

The first annual Colangelo Servant Leadership Awards, which were handed out this morning at Canyon 49 Grill, were another chance to celebrate what both Jerry Colangelo and GCU are doing in the community. “I love what’s happening at the school, so I find myself saying yes to whatever they want me to help them with,” said iHeart Media Phoenix President Linda Little, one of the award-winners.

A record-setting crowd of 7,050 at Family Weekend was treated to music, food, games, worship, beautiful Phoenix weather and even a flash mob. But, really, the treat was seeing their loved ones again. Never could you see more love than when daughter lured mother on the karaoke stage. “I told her she didn’t have a choice,” Ambrosia Morris said. The weekend was full of surprises, including what these families sang together.

Dr. Ryan Melillo, who teaches anatomy and physiology at GCU, wanted to make sure his son, Evan, was in an environment where the Christian worldview was prominent in his education. So his family chose to move Evan to a private Christian school — a choice being supported by GCU and GCE employee-giving program Allocate to Elevate. Allocate to Elevate just launched its eighth year this month with a new name — it was previously called Donate to Elevate — and a new pledge goal of $3.2 million.

There was no shortage of Lope pride circulating around Phoenix on Saturday as the Honors College participated in its third annual service day. More than 150 Honors students helped multiple nonprofit organizations, including 110 at third annual Phoenix Famtastical Festival. “I’m very surprised how many people came out today,” Honors student Kendall Smith said. “… I love that vibe that GCU Honors gives off.”

Throwing offenders in prison or unruly children out of school is one way to handle conflict. But GCU education and justice students are being trained in another method: restorative justice. It’s a pilot program that matches GCU students with west Phoenix schoolchildren who are in a conflict to talk out a solution instead of authorities handing out punishment. “There is a growing recognition that the punishment system isn’t working as well as they would like,” said Kevin Walling, Chair of Justice Studies, Government and History at GCU.

There were a lot of loud voices simulating gunfire. BAM. BAM. There were simulations of mass shootings at schools. It was grim. But when speaker Jesus Villahermosa had finished his seminar for area educators at GCU on Thursday, there was hope and inspiration, too, on how to help schoolchildren survive the scourge of our times — the mass shooting. Villahermosa asked an important question: “Have you given them permission to fight for their lives?”

References to the Ethington Theatre’s production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” last year will have to be amended — now you can say it was an award-winning production. GCU’s Theatre Department took home four ariZoni Awards for “Starcatcher” — best overall production, Megan Sutton for Actress in a Supporting Role and Michael Kary for Director and Fight Choreography. “Winning at all now is really hard because it’s so big,” Assistant Dean William Symington said of the ariZonis, the state’s version of the Tony Awards.

Earlier this month two COFAP film students won awards from the Rocky Mountain Southwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Awards. Brittney Ha-Nguyen took home a College Music Video award for One Last Dance,” and Ryan Brennan won the College Short Form Fiction award for “Ruthless.” “It was a really good experience. It was really encouraging to be around other filmmakers from other schools, and it was really encouraging to see that me and my friends here are at the same level for festival-quality work,” Brennan said.

Alicia Burns, Director of Operations for Grand Canyon Education, is a frequent GCU volunteer. Commencement is her favorite, but she also loves Welcome Week, Habitat for Humanity and any other community outreach.