Community

It was a productive semester for students looking to attend graduate school as the Honors College wrapped up its Pre-Law and Pre-Health Professional, Academic and Career Programs. Both programs, one of which made its debut this semester, played a role in helping prepare students for what they can expect when it comes to graduate school. “From my point of view, it was very helpful and very informative,” said government student Madeline Landes, who attended all of the Pre-Law P.A.C. sessions this semester. “I would recommend this because I think it’s a very informative program.”

When the Honors Institute debuted with 59 students in 2013, no one could have known how far it would come just eight years later. As the University prepares to celebrate another graduating class, the Honors College will celebrate its own impressive accomplishment — surpassing 1,000 graduates. “It’s great that we’ve reached this milestone of 1,000 graduates, we are thrilled and ready to celebrate; but, this is definitely not the last chapter in our book,” said Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli. “There is plenty more to come, and we’re excited to keep challenging ourselves and our program to rise to the occasion.”

There was no shortage of inspirational redemption stories at Wednesday’s Phoenix Rescue Mission Signing Event as three of four scholarship recipients signed their letter of intent to attend the University in the fall. The recipients, who have completed the nonprofit’s Recovery Program, include Amanda Jaramillo, Jacqueline Mix, Brian Farretta and GCU 2019 alum Jesse Dalla Riva. “These people have had some significant challenges and they’ve taken the first step now, they’ve gone through the Phoenix Rescue Mission Program, they’ve come out of it successfully and they’ve started their new life,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “For us to be able to offer them this opportunity to take their life now to a whole new level is a blessing.”

GCU’s summer sports camps are again ready to roll after a year off because of COVID-19. Registration is open to secure spots with no initial fee while awaiting NCAA approval, which is expected within the month. Camps not only teach a participant how to dribble a basketball or perform a perfect set in volleyball, they help improve interpersonal and group skills, said Theon Carrier, Director of Camps.

Kent Hughes wanted to make his silver anniversary special, but wife Liz’s chronic lung disease and a global pandemic were determined to cast a shadow over the whole affair. That is, until he spoke with his wife’s support team at Hospice of the Valley, which got in touch with DreamCatchers GCU. DreamCatchers member Jayden Orr said, “‘Yeah. That is something we can make happen,’” and they did.

When community partner CityServe called to see if GCU could distribute two truckloads of Farmers to Families Food Boxes on Good Friday, “I knew there was only one answer to give. I mean, you don’t say no. This is your opportunity to say yes,” said Community Relations Director Debbie Accomazzo. The University rallied and found homes for approximately 2,300 boxes of food, just in time for Easter weekend.

GCU News Bureau GCU’s first WAC Basketball Tournament title and first trip to the NCAA tournament were historic, and GCU Magazine has the inside story of how it all unfolded. The magazine also includes a tribute to Oscar Frayer, tragically killed in an auto accident less than 60 hours after playing in his first NCAA game.  There’s much more in stories, photos and videos: The excellent season of the GCU women’s basketball team, which reached the WAC final under the leadership of new coach Molly Miller A look ahead to what students can look forward to in the fall semester How GCU continues to show its commitment to the community with its vaccine Point of Dispensing site, food box distributions and Habitat for Humanity partnership GCU’s new tutoring program for online students The surprised reactions of the newest GCU Hall of Famers to getting selected Our annual GCU Year in Review To read it digitally, click here.

Volunteers at GCU’s COVID-19 vaccination site got a shot in the arm Friday morning when the Desert Financial Kindness Arizona Bus Tour stopped by to serve volunteers breakfast. “We just wanted to show some appreciation and say ‘thank you’ to what they’re doing,” said Jose Moreno, Chief Marketing Officer at the Fiesta Bowl and a GCU alumnus. The GCU stop was one of 25 on the five-day tour across Arizona, a reimagining of the Fiesta Bowl Parade, which was canceled because of COVID-19. Organizers decided to caravan across Arizona instead and blanket the state with kindness.

The fact that TEDxGrandCanyonUniversity happened at all Friday night was an accomplishment, But the fact that it was so successful made it unforgettable. A sellout crowd at an ideal venue (New City Church) witnessed eight magnetic presentations, but there was a whole lot more that they didn’t see as students got the ultimate pandemic learning experience.

From natural deodorant to COVID-19 research, there was no shortage of impressive student presentations at this year’s CSET Research Symposium and Honors Showcase on Saturday. Honors finalists delivered in-person presentations while CSET finalists presented orally via Zoom. “It just goes to show how active and engaged our students were both inside and outside the classroom this year despite COVID-19 and limitations on what they could and couldn’t do,” Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli said.