College of Humanities and Social Sciences

A GCU behavioral health expert says that what many people are facing today is “vicarious trauma” from the COVID-19 outbreak. They might not have direct effects but know people who do, said Kathy Britton, a trauma therapist by training and Chair of Behavioral Health and Counseling. Sequestered in our shelters, we may experience fear, anxiety and sometimes depression. It’s important to watch for the signs and take measures to combat it.

GCU was ready for this. After ground students were sent home to finish their studies at home because of the COVID-19 outbreak, leaders and faculty kicked into high gear by sharing its vast storehouse of expertise on online learning to insure a seamless transition as online instruction begins today. “GCU has been at the forefront in its investment in technology. We are at a time when that investment allows us to function, quite literally,” said Dr. Seanan Kelly, assistant professor in the College of Doctoral Studies and an expert in online instruction.

Dr. Mark Spalding, Spanish Program Faculty Lead for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, has some innovative and engaging ways of teaching the language — so engaging, in fact, that some of them have gotten married after bonding in his class.

Teen dating violence affects 1.5 million young people in America, which is why the University’s HOSA Future Health Professionals chapter thought it was important to partner with the New Life Center and bring a panel to campus for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Representatives from Bloom365, one-n-ten, the New Life Center and GCU on Thursday spoke about the red flags to teen dating violence, how to help those experiencing it, the difference between unhealthy and healthy relationships and more.

Dr. Noe Vargas remembers what it was like to be new to America. He came from Mexico at 16, and one of the first people he could talk to in Spanish was his school advisor. He continues to pay it back. On Wednesday, he helped a group of detained immigrant minors see the possibilities of the American dream of education on a tour of GCU.

Law school was compared to the movie “Hunger Games.” All the best and brightest fighting it out on curved grading. But add to that the challenges of being a minority, and GCU students found out the challenges they can expect during the Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association’s panel discussion “Unique Challenges and Opportunities for Hispanic Practitioners of Law” on Tuesday.

Rebecca Richey, Assistant Professor in the Online Full-Time Faculty for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, loves to help people solve the problems. She is a licensed mental health counselor and is certified as a life purpose coach. But what’s also interesting about her is what her father did for a living and how it rubbed off on her.

The February 2020 issue of GCU Magazine will be a keepsake for students, faculty, staff and alumni. The special dedication to GCU’s stunning transformation in the last 10 years includes stories, photos and videos covering every aspect of this remarkable story — academics, spiritual life, campus life, community outreach, athletics, online education and alumni — plus President Brian Mueller’s personal thoughts about what it has meant to him. Here’s the digital version.

Teaching good writing goes way beyond English for College of Humanities and Social Sciences instructor Kimbel Westerson. As she puts it, “I strive to find non-typical ways to engage my students. I joke that I teach everything but English because I bring in diverse topics and ideas for my students to examine.”

Marcie Burger’s love of technology has made her a natural fit for the Online Full Time Faculty in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She strives to make the online classroom as much like a traditional classroom as possible, and she also has a passion for helping those in need become more balanced, self-confident and independent.