Outreach

Richard Busby, a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, has worked in the medical field for 40 years and has traveled to 28 countries to aid those with limited access to medical care and to serve struggling communities. He shared stories about his recent experience in Kathmandu, Nepal, and his passionate view on integrating faith into the classroom.

More than 130 Chief Science Officers from middle and high schools across Arizona are learning leadership, communication and team-building skills this week at the second annual GCU-hosted CSO Training Institute. In just two years, the program has spread not only across the state but also nationally with 13 states following Arizona’s example. CSOs are elected by their peers to act as STEM ambassadors at their schools and communities.

GCU volunteers brought vim and verve Tuesday to the annual Back to School Clothing Drive at GCU Arena as University staff, athletes and other students participated in the first specially designated GCU Day. Of course, Thunder stole the show with his zany antics, but the Cheer and Dance team members and soccer and volleyball players added spark to the already electric atmosphere. More than 5,000 students received clothing and other goodies in time for the start of school.

Summer vacation or not, GCU College of Humanities and Social Sciences counseling professors and students continue to bring group therapy sessions to sex-trade survivors sheltered at the Phoenix Dream Center. “The students benefit from the service work,” said CHSS counseling lead Denise Krupp. “I want them to have a good, wonderful feeling when they leave.” And the survivors benefit by bonding, learning about themselves and gaining self-esteem.

More than 30 campers attending GCU’s Cipher Avenger STEM camp this week are thrilled that they are doing computer programming, using code and building servers and websites. The hands-on learning style that GCU champions is so enthralling, the room filled with high school juniors and seniors was quiet with concentration.

Grand Canyon University employees typically have big hearts and a desire to help others, and the Volunteer with a Purpose Fair held Wednesday gave them a chance to do just that. More than 200 attended the event and signed up to support some of the charities that help the young, the poor and the ill. “We want to be a Kingdom of God, both as a University and individually, and as followers of Jesus Christ we want to help bring justice and hope,” said Jim Miller, GCU’s new corporate chaplain.

Several openings remain in Grand Canyon University’s 2017 Think Big Summer Math Institute for high school mathematics educators and school teams. Coordinated by GCU’s Strategic Educational Alliances, the two workshops will be held June 5-8 and June 12-15. Each offers separate topics.

Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe visited GCU on Friday to share her purpose with GCU employees: to heal, mend and love the ‘lost girls’ of Northern Uganda. “I am a dreamer. I dream of making lives a little better. I dream of healing their pain. I dream of mending their brokenness,” she said, bringing her warmth, humor and inspiration to a university where finding one’s purpose is what it’s all about.

Dr. Rick Roth was a longtime high school and college basketball coach before coming to GCU to work as an assistant professor in the Colangelo College of Business. He’s using what he learned from his experiences and a case study he did for his dissertation to do workshops for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) titled “Champions of Character: Coaches as Moral Influencers.”

It was another busy year at Grand Canyon University, with new facilities opening (of course) and other advancements. But the focus, as always, was on serving the student population and the surrounding neighborhood.