College of Education

Glenda Moton had her own fears as a teacher last year but wondered why no one was focusing on the kids’ anxiety during the pandemic. The GCU alum helped her Miami, Florida, students express themselves with writing, which recently became a book, “Hopes and Fears: Learning Academically in a COVID-19 Environment.” She’s earned a lot of media attention for the project in south Florida as the school year ended, but she isn’t stopping there. Next up is a curriculum guide for teachers on how to help students with writing and meditation. Moton is an example of College of Education products across the country who stepped up in a big way in a trying year.

Dr. Meredith Critchfield is the new College of Education dean, succeeding Dr. Kimberly LaPrade, who is retiring in August. Critchfield said she will focus on strategies to stay on the cutting edge of changes in education after the pandemic and explore innovative ways to tell the story of COE and the teaching profession, among other initiatives. The former college rower, who joined GCU’s faculty in 2013, will bring to COE the teamwork she learned on the water. “To this day I really try to embrace that in my leadership style,” she said. “How can we all be working in a cohesive unit so no one is flipping the boat and we are all moving forward?”

The virtual Commencement ceremony for online students Saturday was actually eight prerecorded ceremonies — one for each college, with a promise of more ceremonies this fall for graduates who would like the in-person experience. But the acknowledgment of their accomplishments amid the pandemic couldn’t wait. “What you have accomplished is remarkable, and we are celebrating it today,” GCU President Brian Mueller said.

Lists are interesting. They spark conversation. And there was plenty to talk about in the 2020-21 academic year at GCU, which made it a year to remember — not because of the pandemic, but because of the way it kept moving forward despite the challenges of COVID-19. Here are the top 10 stories of the year, reprinted from the April issue of GCU Magazine, with extra photos depicting the most memorable moments.

The faculty and staff of the College of Education gave Dr. Kimberly LaPrade an emotional farewell on the Education Building patio Wednesday before many depart for the summer. LaPrade, the COE Dean, will retire in August after 14 years at GCU. She led the college’s booming growth with a calming grace to become a major supplier of talent to the nation’s schools. Now LaPrade has her sights set on sailing across the world with her husband.

Photos by Ralph Freso GCU News Bureau The final ceremony of Spring Commencement brought back to campus spring 2020 graduates whose ceremonies had to be canceled last year because of the pandemic. The student speaker was Samuel Yonan, the 2019-20 president of the Associated Students of Grand Canyon University.  

Photos by David Kadlubowski and Mathew McGraw GCU News Bureau The first of four Spring Commencement sessions celebrated graduates of the College of Education and College of Humanities and Social Sciences on Monday morning. It included a diploma awarded posthumously to Bionca Sparrow, mother of GCU basketball player Oscar Frayer, who was killed in an auto accident last month. The student speaker was Kayla Peterson of the College of Education.    

It was a year that demanded adaptability. And this year’s graduating class was among the most flexible and driven, GCU leaders said Monday morning during the first of four Commencement ceremonies at GCU Arena. Few exemplify that more than the student speaker, Kayla Peterson. She endured a learning disability and then decided to be a teacher. She said it’s her calling now to help others find their purpose.

Sonya Berges, Assistant Professor in the College of Education, loves distance education. She especially loves it when she can reach out to adult learners who share their struggles. “While I may not be able to share the story of Christ with every student, I believe that my actions of grace and compassion, especially over the past year, model a bit of the love and grace Christ offers,” she wrote. 

There were innovations aplenty as GCU dealt with the pandemic. But none of the required alterations were more visible than the cutouts in GCU Arena, where the basketball environment still was plenty loud enough to be noticed by visiting coaches. Reprinted from the February issue of GCU Magazine.