College of Doctoral Studies

Dr. Andree Robinson-Neal, Senior Doctoral Adjunct Faculty Manager for the College of Doctoral Studies, is passionate about helping learners who are early in the research process. That’s high-level work, but what’s also interesting is the way she uses her passion for writing fiction by weaving non-academic narratives into academics.

After getting dismissed from her college music program, Dr. Cheryl Lentz let that feeling of failure persuade her into quitting music. Little did she know that what she considered a failure would lead to a career that she loves — she’s an educator and public speaker. It also led to another dream: giving a TEDx talk about the importance of looking at failure with a positive perspective.

Dr. Derrick Tennial has a lot going on. He’s a member of the College of Doctoral Studies faculty …. and its residency faculty … and is a dissertation chair. He is a narrative researcher. He has a media company. He has a stake in an investment company that seeks to provide quality, affordable housing for middle- to low-income individuals and families. And he talks passionately about a variety of subjects — including a type of television show that might be a bit surprising.

Chevy Humphrey’s journey to becoming the President and CEO of the Arizona Science Center was not easy. But her inspirational story made her the winner Friday of the Public Sector category in the 2020 ATHENA Awards. Humphrey is a member of the Board of Directors for Grand Canyon Education and also is finalizing work on a doctoral degree from Grand Canyon University.

Dr. Theodus Luckett III, Senior Doctoral Adjunct in the College of Doctoral Studies, is devoted to improving music education — he is the Director of Fine Arts for his school district. He also is partnering on a study of diversity issues with the goal of providing “researchers, practitioners and leaders with meaningful knowledge to not only encourage diversity, but to also be intentional in the implementation of diversity initiatives in the workplace.”

Dr. Twyla Williams-Damond has many roles in the College of Doctoral Studies, including dissertation chair and faculty lead for the Institutional Review Board. But she also used her expertise to create the Williams Scholar Charter Management Organization, and she also was this year’s winner of her college’s Leadership in Research and Scholarly Activity Award.

Paul Danuser is widely known on campus as an exuberant public address announcer for GCU Athletics. But in his other life as an Assistant Professor and student, he was playing the long game of completing his doctoral degree. In August, he finally won. Dr. Paul Danuser shared what the experience was like, the importance of being a lifelong learner and what he hopes to do next.

Beverly Galbreath gave up a chance at higher education because she was raising her family, but she was determined that her only daughter wouldn’t suffer the same fate. Now she can look proudly at Dr. Trish Galbreath-Varner, who not only is the family’s first college graduate — she has earned her doctorate.

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’s Eta Chi chapter of Delta Mu Delta, the international business honors society, has doubled in size the last four years, and its stature has grown even more. But now it has its biggest honor of all: It was voted the No. 1 chapter out of the 350 in the United States.