Colleges

Writing a song isn’t a simple process, and the inspiration for some of the music for Canyon Worship 2018 happened when the student artists least expected it. Part 3 of the GCU Today series provides an inside look into three more of the songs on the Center for Worship Arts album, scheduled to be released Monday.

Canyon Worship 2018 begins with “Rhythm,” a song that “is just upbeat and makes you want to dance,” said Eric Johnson, manager of the GCU Recording Studio. Part 2 of the series on the album, due to be released Monday, looks at how Harrison Russell created “Rhythm” and “Come to Me” for the album and what into the songs of two repeat Canyon Worship artists, Katie Brown and Kristyn Marie.

The trend in Christian music is toward corporate (aka congregational) worship songs, and Canyon Worship 2018 has a lot of them. But the Center for Worship Arts student artists also came up with a variety of other sounds. “There are so many creative and talented students here,” said one of the producers, Geoff Hunker. On the album’s release date, Sept. 10, Harrison Russell will sing “Rhythm” at Chapel.

Ray Carawan’s path to GCU wasn’t without obstacles. This online student pursing a bachelor’s degree in Christian Studies hopes one day to be a pastor for people like him — people who have disabilities. “In our weaknesses, His glory is revealed,” Carawan says.

GCU’s production of “Tartuffe,” the Moliere comedy about a house divided by a manipulative houseguest, appears to have brought down the house. It landed multiple ariZoni Award nominations, including for acting, direction, hair and makeup, and scenic and costume design, to name a few.

New students at Grand Canyon University have a multitude of ways to connect, and one of the most important is the First-Year Experience program. They are urged to visit one of the 15 Academic & Career Excellence Centers (ACE) on campus, which are called “the epitome of concierge service” by Dr. Joe Veres, Vice President of Student Development and Outreach.

GCU is always evolving, with new buildings rising up and offices and colleges moving to new spaces. All the change makes for an interesting first-day of class. The GCU News team fanned out on Monday to talk to students, professors and even the Success Patrol and Academic Career Excellence Centers, who there there to make sure students found their classrooms.

Story and photos by Ryan Kryska GCU News Bureau Grand Canyon University took center stage Friday morning on local news as AZFamily 3TV visited campus for multiple live segments. 3TV reporters Javier Soto and Olivia Fierro arrived at 7 a.m., in time to witness the relentless Welcome Crew volunteers move in the last of GCU’s record-breaking enrollment. “I got to tell you, I’ve been to universities, I’ve been to move-in days,” Soto said. “The excitement here, you can feel it, and I think that’s what’s awesome about GCU.” The Thundering Heard Pep Band, Dance team, Cheer team and the Havocs — a tireless bunch of Lopes — followed the live segments into the heat all morning. Soto and Fierro interviewed President Brian Mueller, Phoenix business icon Jerry Colangelo, men’s soccer coach Schellas Hyndman, students and various others, and they even tried some white pizza and Baja shrimp ceviche from Canyon 49 Grill’s new menu. “These kids are on a whole other level,” Soto said, “and I think that has a lot do with the curriculum and the faculty getting them to buy into it where they have their own thought process. They are thinking beyond the information that they are […]

GCU’s theatre department opened its 2018-19 season with “Ring Round the Moon.”

GCU theatre department’s “Ring Round the Moon” rings true with sumptuous excess. Set in the Belle Epoque, with its the aristocratic French chateau setting and dazzling haute couture gowns, the fairy tale romance easily conveys one of its themes: beauty. But the play is more than that. It’s also a parody, and it deals with different societal classes and how cruel they can be. For some of those reasons, director Michael Kary said this is one of his favorite plays. Eighteen years ago, he said, “I saw it and I thought, that was wonderful.”