College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Kirk Cameron’s Fall Commencement keynote address underlines the importance of perseverance. The former “Growing Pains” star and now prominent Christian actor addressed GCU’s most recent group of graduates with congratulations and a powerful message of overcoming fear, fulfilling their mission and finishing the race. “This was really exciting,” Cameron said. “I was a little nervous, I’ve never done it before … I knew with all these Christian families, it was just really a special blessing to be part of this day that they’ll remember for their whole life.”

Photos by David Kadlubowski GCU News Bureau The 9 a.m. Commencement ceremony Thursday featured online students from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. For a full replay of the ceremony, click here.     Related content: GCU Today: Slideshow: Fall Commencement, Friday evening ceremony GCU Today: My LopeLife: Passion for education drives teachers GCU Today: My LopeLife: Nurses know all about hanging tough GCU Today: My LopeLife: Tales of doctoral, nursing challenges GCU Today: Slideshow: Fall Commencement, Friday afternoon ceremony GCU Today: Slideshow: Fall Commencement, Friday morning ceremony GCU Today: My LopeLife: Stories from Thursday evening session GCU Today: Slideshow: Fall Commencement, Thursday evening ceremony GCU Today: Jamaican graduate hopes degree will impact others GCU Today: Kirk Cameron delivers powerful message to grads GCU Today: My LopeLife: They had to be all business to succeed GCU Today: Slideshow: Fall Commencement, Thursday afternoon ceremony GCU Today: GCU reaches 1,000 signed doctoral dissertations GCU Today: My LopeLife: Humanities grads share their joy

Some of them found their way after some wayward times in their younger days. Some are in the later years of life and still accomplishing great things. And some had to overcome incredible present-day challenges. But the online graduates at GCU all seem to have one thing in common: They’re grateful. Over the next three editions of GCU Today, we’ll let them tell their stories in their own words. First up: the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, whose grads got their diplomas this morning.

Strategic Employer Initiatives and Internships goes to great lengths to make sure GCU students have an almost endless number of opportunities to turn their degrees into good-paying jobs, and those efforts were on display in a big way Wednesday afternoon at Meet the Agencies in the Colangelo College of Business Building courtyard. The event drew 57 companies and 633 students — easily the most students at one job fair this year.

Dr. Bob Staples, an instructor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, has published writing manuals and articles. He has done research. Nothing unusual there. But when you find out the names of his two horses, you’ll have no doubts about which football team he likes.

“I really do believe the big gap between engineers – male and female – is that girls are told it’s a boy’s job,” said sophomore psychology major Madi Abercrombie, a member of the GCU Robotics Club, at Saturday’s Girl Powered STEM Workshop. “We’re empowering girls at a younger age and helping them to have confidence.” About 40 fourth through eighth grade girls spent the morning programming robots, making a slime-like non-Newtonian fluid called gooey gak and making simple battery-powered motors. They also listened to a panel of women, including GCU Associate Dean of Engineering Dr. Janet Brelin-Fornari, speak about their careers in STEM fields. The workshop was a collaboration between the Robotics Club and K12 Educational Development, as well as VEX Robotics and the Robotics Education Competition Foundation.

Six medical professionals spoke to Grand Canyon University students Wednesday night about what it takes to get into their field. They emphasized that it’s not just a matter of mastering a specific medical skill — they want to see applicants who are well-rounded.

Throwing offenders in prison or unruly children out of school is one way to handle conflict. But GCU education and justice students are being trained in another method: restorative justice. It’s a pilot program that matches GCU students with west Phoenix schoolchildren who are in a conflict to talk out a solution instead of authorities handing out punishment. “There is a growing recognition that the punishment system isn’t working as well as they would like,” said Kevin Walling, Chair of Justice Studies, Government and History at GCU.

Dominique Adkins’ research looking at the factors that influence forgiveness within the African American community has been shared in a long list of presentations at major conferences across the country and overseas. Not only is she an Online Full Time Faculty member in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences — she also works in the College of Doctoral Studies and has done lots of other amazing things in her life.

The One Foundation Lunch and Learns, which began Friday, offer a perfect opportunity for faculty members to learn more about teaching from a Christian perspective. “It sustains a conversation that is necessary,” said Dr. Jason Hiles, Dean of the College of Theology. Five more one-hour sessions are scheduled during the academic year, and the first 100 people to sign up get a free lunch.