Colangelo College of Business

The leaders of TEDxGrandCanyonUniversity and its talented emcee, Caleb Duarte, introduced this year’s lineup for the Feb. 21 TEDx event at Ethington Theatre on Tuesday night. But its president could give a talk of his own. Justin McLean said his experience in the student-run organization led to a job even before his April graduation.

Dr. Kathy Archer, Associate Professor of Economics in the Colangelo College of Business, has an interesting take on the role of economics in our lives. It’s one of the many things she is curious about, which is what makes her online classroom so vibrant. One thing that has a lot to do with it: where she spent her high school years.

Children often have a lot in common with their parents, but Sydney Teerink and Tori Triguero now have one more thing in common with their parents. Teerink and her mother, GCE employee Ra’Lene, as well as Triguero and her father, Dan, can all now call themselves 2019 GCU graduates.

Photos by Mathew McGraw and Elizabeth Tinajero GCU News Bureau The Friday evening ceremony of Winter Commencement at Grand Canyon University featured graduates of the Colangelo College of Business, College of Fine Arts and Production and College of Nursing and Health Care Professions.    

GCU’s chapter in Delta Mu Delta, the international business honor society, just keeps growing in numbers and stature, and this fall that meant growing its leadership group as well. Because the three top officers all will be gone after this week, new leaders had to be recruited and trained. Thanks to President Shannon Walker, it got done.

Five student groups presented their research at the Undergraduate Learning Community and Research Symposium Friday. “It’s very clear to me that what used to be done at the graduate level is now being done at the undergraduate level and with significant excellence,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. Those interesting findings cover everything from heart rates to something called Ugly Gerry.

The first Canyon Challenge entrepreneurial competition held in December was won, appropriately, by a Christmas-oriented business, Santa Calls. What appealed to the judges was the fact that the idea could be expanded beyond this time of year.

It didn’t take long for the new Innovation Center to get noticed by entrepreneurs across the Valley — it attracted 25 businesses in its first 2 1/2 months. The reason is simple: It has many aspects that make it an attractive deal, especially the fact that hiring GCU students is part of the package.

One of the concluding events of Money Week featured a panel of longtime financial services professionals talking to students about the future of the industry, and their insights included interesting observations about the direction of personal banking. Students entering the profession can expect to see a movement toward helping educate consumers.

GCU senior Gavin Thompson liked to shop in thrift stores. He knew other people didn’t like to spend the time but liked the merchandise. That’s how his Wear Old secondhand clothes business was launched. His story highlights the path more students are taking in addition to classes — hustling to start their own business.