Colangelo College of Business

COVID-19 forced the postponement of the spring induction ceremony for GCU’s Eta Chi chapter in Delta Mu Delta, the business honor society. But that didn’t stop the students and advisors from coming up with something even better: The virtual ceremony Friday attracted so many inductees, it looks like a staple for the future.

Nathan Cooper knew about growing corn and soybeans on vast Midwest farm fields that four generations of his family have tended. Farming in the desert is a whole different ballgame. But the manager of GCU’s new Canyon Urban Farms, designed to feed and educate the neighborhood, met the challenges and this week donated 40 pounds of squash to the refugee population.

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.

Aaron and Jocelyn Reina are using their Colangelo College of Business degrees to help their family operate Colados Coffee and Crepes. In particular, they have applied the GCU culture to create a to bring together the staff.

The Colangelo Scholarships have gone national, and the two latest recipients — Belle Rakestraw from Illinois and Avery Bernard from California — will bring impressive credentials to campus. They’re ready to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and be leaders on campus.

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.”

For some GCU students, the prospect of losing income during the pandemic was stressful. But the University made big efforts to keep many student workers employed, retaining nearly half in their jobs with GCU and GCE. Most could work remotely. Junior Jamie Bettis had a desktop set up right at the foot of her bed in a Phoenix apartment.

They were six GCU students, all women, and they had a project to do in Mindy Weinstein’s marketing class: Help a startup called Tough Apparel. They helped so much, the company founders couldn’t stop raving about their GCU experience, and Friday night the students can watch them compete on “Shark Tank.”

Dr. Barry Asmus, Distinguished Professor of Economics in the Colangelo College of Business, passed away recently, but he won’t soon be forgotten by his colleagues. No one will miss him more than Krystal Slivinski, who co-taught with him. “I miss my friend. I miss being able to learn from him. I was so humbled that he wanted to learn from me,” she said.

The shift of ground classes to an online environment worked out well for the Colangelo College of Business in an unexpected way: Guest speakers had more time to talk to students and could share how they’re dealing with challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s an example of everyone learning together.