College of Fine Arts and Production

There is very little known about the mysterious “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” that has formed and continued to grow every year, but two GCU alum’s and their fellow expedition boat crew are determined to show the world what is really going on in the ocean. COFAP Graduates Joshua Munoz (class of 2015) and Corbin Marshall (Class of 2016) have both found homes in Hawaii since graduating, and will be embarking on a journey with several scientist, French-born long-distance swimmer Ben Lecomte and several others on what they are calling “The Vortex Swim” starting Tomorrow and continuing until September. Lecomte will be swimming for eight hours a day for 100 days to make up a total of 300 nautical miles, all while his crew collects data, tracks plastic movement and studies the effects of the plastic on surrounding ocean life. Munoz and Marshall will be aboard documenting the whole expedition via photography and videography, all while also taking shifts manning the helm and assisting with data collecting. Links to follow the journey of Munoz, Marshall and the rest of the crew throughout the process will be located within the story.

Joseph Allen recorded his own 10-song LP, “The College Lifestyle,” when he was a student at GCU. But the Digital Film graduate took the next big step in his career, auditioning for “America’s Got Talent” and achieving something unimaginable. He received the much sought-after Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel, which means he automatically advances to the next level of competition — the live auditions. He also got a Lopes up from judge Julianne Hough and this comment from Simon Cowell, who was amazed by the audience’s reaction to him (several Lopes were in the audience) before he even performed: “I tell you what, the WHOLE WORLD should go to your school right now.” Added GCU President Brian Mueller: “When I saw the video from ‘America’s Got Talent,’ I wasn’t surprised at all. He has that kind of effect on people. He’s very enthusiastic, charismatic, people-oriented and has a lot of friends at GCU. When he gets in a setting like that, he just makes people feel good.”

GCU’s first academic year in its return to nonprofit status was filled with so many important stories, picking just 10 was a challenging exercise for the GCU Today staff. Here’s how we voted, with links to the many stories that are worth revisiting.

It has been about three years since Michael Kary self-published what he once thought to be journals, and now his book, “Acting in Faith: A Christian’s Guide,” is being published by Kendall Hunt Publishing and distributed to other Christian institutions across the country. In it, Kary teaches students that they can still be proud Christians while also excelling in the acting profession. Kary believes that differences between the entertainment industry and Christianity have led to both sides holding misunderstood views about each other and hopes his book will help clear up some of the misconceptions that exist.

Suzy Guarino-Hall, a tap instructor for the dance program, is producing “Murder at the TAP’Ocho,” which will incorporate tap dancing with singing and a storyline and debuts Sunday in Mesa. The show will feature several GCU students and alumni as well as Director of Dance Susannah Keita. “This is literally going to be the best show we’ve ever done,” Guarino-Hall said.

Photos by David Kadlubowski GCU News Bureau The Friday afternoon ceremony of spring commencement at Grand Canyon University featured 912 online graduates from the Colangelo College of Business, the College of Fine Arts and Production, the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, and the College of Theology. To watch a replay of the ceremony, click here.     

Two days before commencement, 57 design students filled four classrooms in the College of Fine Arts and Production Building on Tuesday to display their portfolios for their peers and families at the Senior Design Showcase. Animations, photography, marketing designs and numerous other forms of artwork allowed viewers to get a better idea of who these students are. “Everyone’s setup is their own,” Elizabeth Segura said. “Every year you have something different. There’s different people, different things that they have to offer. I think it’s pretty cool every year to see the variety.”

Photos by David Kadlubowski GCU News Bureau The Spring Dance Concert, titled “Dance Department Goes POP!”, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Ethington Theatre.      

The idea for the April issue of GCU Magazine actually was hatched in 2015, when we told the stories of some of the incoming students in the Class of 2019. Now they’re graduating, and it was time to see what their four years were like. The answer: It was a head-spinning time of growth, both on campus and for the students themselves. This issue also features the University’s first graduates from its engineering program and its Students Inspiring Students initiative, a look at how GCU teaches computer programming differently, the heartwarming story of Jesse Dalla Riva‘s transformation from drug addict to graduate, and a My LopeLife piece by another 2019 grad. There’s more: what’s ahead for the GCU men’s basketball program, the increasingly important communication tool utilized by online instructors and students, and yet another heartwarming story — this one on recent GCU Hall of Fame inductee Sharky Baker. To read the digital version, click here.  

Who needs to end the semester with a BANG if you could end it with a POP? The Spring Dance Concert premieres Friday and will be the final production at Ethington Theatre for the semester. Audiences can expect to hear an array of music of multiple musical icons and genres over the decades. Students will be performing contemporary, tap, ballet as well as classical jazz throughout the production. “There is something for everyone,” faculty member Kevin Godfrey-Chevalier said. Start times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.