College of Science, Engineering and Technology

There were graduates from four different colleges at the Thursday evening ceremony of Fall Commencement, but their stories have several things in common — starting with perseverance. But it’s also gratifying to hear about the support of their families and the admiration of their children.

Photos by Elizabeth Tinajero GCU News Bureau The 7 p.m. ceremony Thursday was for online graduates of the College of Fine Arts and Production, the College of Theology, the College of Education (bachelor’s degrees only) and the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.  

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.”

Biologist David Weedman grew up fishing and camping with his dad and turned that love of the outdoors into a 28-year career with the Arizona Game & Fish Department. Now he is sharing his expertise with GCU students as the University’s first Game & Fish liaison. Weedman is on campus every other Thursday, when students can drop by and talk with him about environmental science and conservation careers — or to just share a few big fish stories. “I want to be a mentor, contribute what I can and, hopefully, help students make informed decisions,” he said.

Dennis Attawia, Associate Professor in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, says he is known among students as someone who can take complex problems and make them understandable. Considering how he looks today, you’ll never believe the style he rocked back in the day.

It was an emotional day when GCU alumna Samantha Bedore started her first day of a residency in physical therapy at HonorHealth in Scottsdale. She had walked through those same doors to see her grandfather, who was dying. Now she was there to help others. “I just hope I can give people the care that my grandpa received,” said Bedore, an Army veteran who shares more than one trauma that led to her purpose.

The ongoing cybersecurity battle is such a fascinating topic, a panel of experts — including Dr. Heather Monthie, Associate Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology — talked about it for an hour and a half Thursday morning in the Library and could have gone on much longer. As one student noted, everything they said aligned with what GCU teaches.

“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.

Women only make up 24 percent of the STEM fields, according to VEX Robotics, which is why it launched its Girl Powered initiative. Inspired by that initiative, GCU’s Robotics Club is bringing back its Girl Powered STEM Workshop on Saturday in the Technology Building for girls in fourth through eighth grades. “We want to have that awareness at an early age that STEM is not exclusive to boys,” said Ed Koeneman, the Robotics Club’s advisor and an instructor in electrical engineering technology.

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.