Online Life

You might get an e-mail from a friend asking for help, but watch out! It might just be a ruse to get your money.   Most of us get e-mails every day from friends and family, and we never consider that they could be phony.  However, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) continues to receive reports about people’s e-mail or social networking accounts being hijacked and used to swindle money from their family and friends.   Pretending to be someone you know, the hacker uses the hijacked account to send a notice to people in their contact list.  The email claims they are stranded in a foreign country and are in immediate need of money.  Some claim they only have a few days to pay their hotel bill and promise to reimburse you when they return home. A sense of urgency in the email is designed to make you act without thinking things through, hoping to increase the likelihood of you falling for this scam. To help avoid becoming a victim, make sure you have the most updated anti-virus software available on your computer. Most importantly, if  you get an e-mail from a friend in need, call them first to […]

Your computer is a most crucial asset as you attend school. GCU’s IT department wants to make sure you keep your computer, and yourself, protected from the hazards of being online. The following tips will help you keep your computer running and your personal information safe.

GCU is offering a series of webinars to help new students navigate MyGCU, the Student Portal, the ANGEL classroom and other available University resources.

Little more than two years ago, she was a ninth-grade English teacher in suburban Philadelphia, shopping for a doctoral degree program. Today, she’s a 10th-grade English teacher in suburban Phoenix, enrolled in that program at GCU. The biggest difference for Jo Markette? That would be Nick Markette, her husband, whom she met in 2008 in the first cohort group of students pursuing doctoral degrees in organizational leadership.

Jerry Tuttle commuted to the home office on Tuesday, May 18, and the trip was about 2,000 miles one way. Tuttle, 60, of New Jersey, is an online math teacher for GCU. He planned a stop in Phoenix as part of a business trip to Los Angeles so that he could tour GCU’s ground campus. He specifically requested that he have an opportunity for his photo to be taken with Thunder, the Antelopes’ mascot. “I wanted to come and see if there really is a campus,” Tuttle said jokingly. “I’ve always wanted to do this. Unfortunately, I picked a time when the students aren’t here.” Tuttle made the most of it, stopping at the campus bookstore to buy a GCU polo shirt, meeting administrators and visiting about the classes he is teaching. “People have been amazingly friendly to me,” he said. “They’re surprised I’m here. For a big university, the campus is small and intimate.” < Tuttle grew up in New York City and works as an actuary in a building overlooking Ground Zero in Manhattan. He has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Queens College and a master’s degree in applied mathematics from the University of Virginia. He began […]

You may be underestimating the power of your Facebook account. By Zane Ewton Communications Staff As you share photos, interact with friends and load up on apps, you also are developing your image — a personal brand. Just like a celebrity or company promoting a product, social media will be how others view you. According to GCU Social Media Strategist Robyn Itule, personal branding is the process by which we market ourselves to others. You’re building a brand, whether you realize it or not. Ever Google yourself? Were you surprised by the information that was available about you? Anything you post online, even conversations on Twitter, can be pulled by Google into its search results. People who search your name will find those results, and those people might be important to your college or professional career. According to CareerBuilder.com, almost 30 percent of hiring managers use Facebook to check out job applicants. Of that number, 50 percent look for those who are compatible with their organization and 35 percent use Facebook to evaluate communication skills. Social media provide a unique opportunity to take control and define your personal brand. Itule says there are four methods to build an effective personal […]

By Paige Morris I am on a mission to obtain an education. And I am on a mission to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. On this journey, I discovered a peculiar scholarship for vegetarianism, established by the Vegetarian Resource Group. The scholarship requires that I promote vegetarianism in the community and write an essay documenting my success, challenges and experience. My name is Paige Morris; I’m 17 and a vegetarian. I am also an online student at Grand Canyon University. I plan to obtain a bachelor of science in nursing, specializing in pediatric oncology.  Sedona, Ariz., is a small community that caters to tourists, so one of my first stops was the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, where I had an appointment with Jennifer Wesselhoff, the president of the chamber. She listened to my desire of sponsoring vegetarianism in our community. She helped me map out promotional options in detail. A friend, Rick Wesselhoff, donated the domain name and helped me create www.sedonavegetarians.com. The website became complete with photos, recipes, restaurants, articles and a link to my favorite book, “The China Study,” which inspired my conversion to vegetarianism. The blog took on a life of its own, expanding into Facebook and Twitter […]

The GCU Library is now available directly from ANGEL and allows students to conduct research through online journals, articles, books and databases. The online library also offers a special tool called OneSearch that allows students to search all databases and online books with a single search. The library databases are now easier than ever to access. Over the next two weeks changes will be implemented so students will no longer need an additional password to access the library databases. Once students have logged into MyGCU, they will have direct access to search all of the databases without logging in again. The library is committed to student success and now offers a chat service that has librarians available to answer library specific-questions Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visit the library homepage at http://library.gcu.edu and click on the link in the upper left corner.

Leigh Darby Sloan, currently a Master’s in Educational Leadership student at GCU, was selected as Teacher of the Year for Dillon School District Three, Dillon, South Carolina. According to the Dillon Herald, Sloan is a native of West Columbia but presently resides in Hamer, SC. She has been employed by Dillon School District Three for the last six years. She moved into the position of Guidance Counselor of Latta Middle School during the 2003-04 school year. Mrs. Sloan received a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism in 1989. Since that time, she has received a Master’s Degree in Secondary Counseling and an Educational Specialist’s Degree in Elementary Counseling. Presently, she is pursuing a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Being selected as District Teacher of Year qualifies Mrs. Sloan as a participant in the selection of South Carolina Teacher of the Year. The South Carolina Teacher of the Year Program is coordinated via the Division of Educator Quality & Leadership and is designed to honor those who are representative of the state’s many exceptional teachers. Sloan is married to Roger M. Sloan. They are the proud parents of three children; Darby, Maggie, and Carson.

Brian Mueller presented GCU alumni and Georgia teacher Tracey Harmon with a $15,000 doctoral scholarship at the University’s Quarterly Meeting December 18. The GCU master’s in education graduate and Jamestown Elementary “Teacher of the Year” shared with GCU faculty and staff how she had overcome a difficult background to earn her degree and persevere to provide a better life for herself and her daughter. Tracey also acknowledged the support of her GCU counselors, who helped contribute to her success and desire to pursue a doctoral degree.