Community

The new outdoor stage for Ethington Theatre productions has been constructed in time for the first play of the season, “The Comedy of Errors,” which begins Wednesday night. It turned into an educational project for College of Fine Arts and Production staff and students. “I think we’re uniquely suited for this,” COFAP Assistant Dean William Symington said. “It’s been a challenge, but we create a problem-solving way of thinking of how to do something in a different way and how to make a positive out of it.”

Jacqueline Carter was placed in foster care at age 17, one week before she was scheduled to start at GCU. But a Good Samaritan arranged to have her live on campus, and now Carter has her bachelor’s degree and is set to start working on her master’s. Friday afternoon, Carter’s achievement was celebrated at the Arizona Department of Child Safety, where a small gathering included her favorite GCU professor.

It’s the same scholarship that has been changing the lives of incoming Honors College students for years, but now it has a new name: the Academic Excellence & Servant Leadership Scholarship. The annual reception for scholarship winners had to be conducted online because of the pandemic. “We wanted these students to have an opportunity to engage with one another and have a moment to reflect on how special this scholarship opportunity really is,” Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli said.

Dr. Jason Hiles, Dean of the College of Theology, wanted to build a website that would benefit students but also churches, Christian schools and the general public. His vision has resulted in theologycommons.org, which features an audiobook as well as an ebook. “We’re trying to offer some resources to people who want to go a little deeper,” Hiles said.

The Honors College’s Student Advisory Board, which works as a bridge between faculty and students to put together Honors activities, has even more members this year. It’s quality as well as quantity. Program Manager Dennis Williams calls it “the most phenomenal group we’ve ever had.” Eighth in a nine-part series on each college as the semester begins.

Almost 400 people were tested at the free-cost community COVID-19 testing event Saturday at GCU’s 27th Avenue complex. The event not only helped the University be part of the solution in defeating the virus, but it also created stronger connections to the coalition of nonprofits and governmental organizations that put on the event. Victoria Murray, Director of Home Health and Senior Services for Chicanos por la Causa, one of those organizations, said, “We love the relationship to GCU, and everyone has been phenomenal. Our cause is to reach out to the community, and I know GCU’s desire to provide for the underserved matches ours.”

The College of Doctoral Studies has learned a lot about its learners over the past 10 years, and that’s why it’s introducing a 2.0 version of its programs. This redesign will take tools such as the dissertation template and early dissertation focus and build upon them to address both quantitative and qualitative research. A higher emphasis also will be placed on better preparing students for dissertation writing.

GCU has strived to address many of the challenges facing the Maryvale community and will do so again Saturday when it partners with Chicanos por la Causa, Equality Health Foundation and other organizations to bring a drive-thru COVID-19 testing event to the neighborhood. “The Maryvale community has been especially vulnerable to COVID-19, so we wanted to be part of the solution by offering a site where residents can come to get tested for free and help curtail the pandemic in west Phoenix,” GCU President Brian Mueller said. The event will run from 6-11 a.m. at the 27th Avenue complex.

The College of Fine Arts and Production is meeting the effects of the pandemic head-on. Its innovations include outdoor performances, master classes with industry professionals, livestreaming and a little of Disney’s “The Mandalorian” thrown in for good measure. COFAP Dean Claude Pensis calls it a “fun challenge.”

The New Business Development Center recently was awarded a $3,500 grant by the Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest. NBDC Director Eduardo Borquez said the money will be used to hire more student ambassadors, who, in turn, will continue to assist neighborhood businesses.