College of Education

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.

Deborah Haralson, IT and IT/cyber faculty lead, wore virtual pink hair and asked students to fill out an online poll about the RAM on their computers. Mechanical Engineering Technology instructor Dina Higgins hit play on her first “Safety Minute” segment. College of Education Assistant Professor Dr. Brandon Juarez started class with a prayer and said he would help students look into how they can become great classroom teachers. Professors and students navigated the first day of class online in the COVID-19 world while looking forward to Sept. 28, when they’ll see each other in person for the first day of on-campus instruction. “While not under the best circumstances, it was a great first day overall,” said technology student Alex Schaeffer.

Dr. Debbie Rickey was known to have an open door in GCU’s College of Education, ready to listen to new ideas for growth and to offer personal support to colleagues. On Monday, she retires after four decades in education and was honored with a retirement parade to her Phoenix home. She leaves an important legacy with countless students who learned from her, teachers she helped mold and with GCU, where she helped lead the effort to the COE’s national accreditation.

Teaching can be tough. Fighting for enough funding or pay. Taking all of society’s ills into your classroom, which this year means COVID-19. But GCU is putting a positive light on the profession and celebrating it when it needs it most. The College of Education’s “Lopes Teach Up” is a pledge everyone should sign to support the front-line educators we appreciate even more this fall.

To say the new Assistant Dean in the College of Education is driven may be an understatement. Emily Pottinger has taken on the leadership role while producing an education podcast, studying for her doctorate and preparing for the birth of her second child. Part of her drive comes from wanting to train teachers to love and care for students — a positive education she wants for her own children one day.

Katy Long calls it “the circle of life,” not after “The Lion King” song but after GCU’s efforts to fill Arizona schools with more teachers than any other college. One reason for the College of Education’s success is partnerships with school districts. Students do practicums and internships at schools, often under the tutelage of former GCU students who work there, then are hired full time and help mentor other Lopes, filling that circle with GCU-educated teachers.

Months before COVID-19 hit, Dr. Crystal McCabe and Sonya Berges of the College of Education gave a presentation whose driving point was “we are all in this together.” It was later a rally cry for the pandemic but also for distance learning, and their presentation on the subject won an award at a prestigious conference.

Lynette Collins has brought her real-world experience to her GCU online classes in social sciences and education for 10 years. The adjunct instructor was selected as the featured teacher for April in Honored, a nonprofit that promotes excellent teaching. But you’ll also see her the latest season of “Girls Incarcerated” on Netflix. Here’s why.

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.