Colleges

Thanks to a $3.2 million grant from the Kern Family Foundation, GCU is instituting a new pastoral program that will make it possible to obtain Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees in just five years — with the fifth year tuition free. Reprinted from the November issue of GCU Magazine.

GCU News Bureau A special edition of the Journal of Instructional Research features several articles from Grand Canyon University faculty. JIR features theoretical and empirically-based research articles, critical reflection pieces, case studies and classroom innovations relevant to best practices in post-secondary instruction (including teaching, learning and assessment). The articles listed below are available here: “Defining Effective Online Pedagogy,” John Steele, Rick Holbeck, Jean Mendernach Ten Strategic Points: A Framework for Doctoral Dissertations Students to Conceptualize their Research Design in a Doctoral Residency Program,” Cynthia Bainbridge, Christie McClendon, June Maul “The Goldilocks Paradox: The Need for Instructor Presence but Not Too Much in an Online Discussion Forum,” Elizabeth Larson, Jacob Aroz, Eric Nordin “Virtual Professional Communities: Integrative Faculty Support to Foster Effective Teaching,” Katie Sprute, Crystal McCabe, Lynn Basko, Paul Danuser “Exploring Quiz-Style PowerPoint Games as an Innovative e-Learning and Teaching Pedagogy,” Nikki Squire “Reflective Practice through Mentorship: A Program Reflection,” Emily Pottinger, Rebekah Dyer and Jena Akard “Using OBS to Create Video Lectures for Online Counseling Students,” Daniel A. Kauffman “Active Classrooms: Great for Academic Performance, but can They Improve Student Health? A Critical Literature Review,” Mike Swoboda The Intersection of Theory and Practice in Teacher Preparation Courses,” Brandon Juarez “Alternative Mentoring for Psychology Students,” […]

There was no shortage of Christmas cheer last week for the residents of the Arizona Training Program in Coolidge as well as the students of Sierra Academy of Scottsdale, as GCU’s Critical Mass used their voices to serve students and adults with special needs. Critical Mass member Sam Brown, whose older brother, Hunter, is a student at the Sierra Academy of Scottsdale, says it brought a lot of smiles to the faces of his brother and his classmates. “It was honestly such a beautiful experience seeing all these children, who are special needs, and just how happy they were,” he said.

Children often have a lot in common with their parents, but Sydney Teerink and Tori Triguero now have one more thing in common with their parents. Teerink and her mother, GCE employee Ra’Lene, as well as Triguero and her father, Dan, can all now call themselves 2019 GCU graduates.

Photos by Mathew McGraw and Elizabeth Tinajero GCU News Bureau The Friday evening ceremony of Winter Commencement at Grand Canyon University featured graduates of the Colangelo College of Business, College of Fine Arts and Production and College of Nursing and Health Care Professions.    

Zane Courtney, the student speaker at the Friday evening session of Winter Commencement, had a straightforward message: The Department of Digital Film Production, like GCU, is all about collaboration. “In GCU’s culture, there’s this unsaid bond between every Lope,” he said.

Photos by Ralph Freso and Elizabeth Tinajero GCU News Bureau The 2 p.m. ceremony Friday in Winter Commencement at Grand Canyon University featured graduates of the College of Education, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science, Engineering and Technology and the College of Theology.  

Mary Van Vleck, the student speaker for the Winter Commencement ceremony Friday afternoon at GCU, remained under the radar in the Worship Arts program for a while. But then her peers and professors saw her talent and attitude and the love she brought to the Recording Studio.

Students Inspiring Students scholarship recipient Carla Ceja has the weight of family history, her grandfather’s Alzheimer’s disease and her parent’s words of encouragement with her as she prepares to accept her diploma at GCU’s afternoon graduation ceremony today. She had learned of her grandfather’s diagnosis as a child, and it spurred her to learn English, study hard to get a scholarship and eventually earn a degree in psychology. She is among the first large group of SIS students to earn their degrees.

GCU’s HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) chapter likes to keep busy and capped off the fall semester by speaking at the Arizona HOSA Fall Leadership Conference and then, two days later, volunteering for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s annual Light the Night Walk.