College of Doctoral Studies

This weekend’s NCAA Division I men’s basketball Final Four will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium, but the festivities begin at Grand Canyon University Arena on Thursday night with the 29th annual Slam Dunk and 3-point Championships. GCU also will be represented in other ways — by the Thundering Heard Pep Band and by dozens of students who will be volunteering at the various festivities.

One of the learners at the College of Doctoral Studies residency this week is from Virginia and is out west for the first time, but Jayme Miles’ experience with the Grand Canyon University doctoral program is about much more than geography. She has found it to be extremely helpful and feels gratified to finally see the campus.

Nearly 1,000 people gathered Thursday at GCU Arena to hear 18 speakers and watch a full day’s worth of thought-provoking, emotional and inspirational TEDx talks. GCU students Austin Mosher and Jedidiah Woods, who conceived and organized the event, believe this year’s inaugural TEDx Grand Canyon University production will become an annual staple.

The fifth installment of Grand Canyon University’s “Lunch and Learn” speaker series discussed personal and biblical identities that each of us must seek out and find. GCU Speech and Debate coach Barry Regan along with COFAP assistant professor Sheila Schumacher shared stories and discussed the need to forge an identity both as a person and through Jesus.

A wide array of professionals, executives, students and interesting stories comprise the 20 finalists chosen to give talks in the TEDx event March 2 at GCU Arena. Organizers hope to draw a crowd of at least 4,000.

A GCU doctoral student who owns a funeral home in Baltimore showed his heroic side last week when he raced to the scene of a robbery, tackled a suspect and held him until police arrived. Mark Bailey is a veteran of the Maryland State Police and also was an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Grand Canyon University’s latest gathering in the Integration of Faith, Learning and Work “Lunch and Learn” speaker series focused on the idea that love is all encompassing and, at times, difficult. Biblical definitions and interpretations of love include goodwill and forgiveness to those who have done you harm.

The relationships between GCU career services, students and a variety of local and national organizations continues to strengthen. Pipelines are being formed between GCU and companies such as Enterprise, ADP, Vanguard and many more across all business sectors. “When someone attends or graduates from GCU, they have a higher standard,” said Katie Berry, a talent acquisition specialist for Enterprise.

During a season of gratitude, Maricopa County Justice Courts officials gave Grand Canyon University an award Tuesday thanking the University for “invaluable and enthusiastic support.”

A high-powered panel of women theologians at GCU tackled the question, “Does God Call Women into the Ministry?” The answer may seem obvious, but it was’t and was the subject triggered interesting debate.