Photos by Ralph Freso
Woody Mason used to give his students a five-minute “dance break” from the rigors of study.
He used to send emails to fellow instructors at Grand Canyon University to tell them how special they are and how much they are appreciated.
“He didn’t do it with fanfare or to get praise in return,” wrote College of Education Dean Dr. Meredith Critchfield in an Instagram post honoring Mason. “He just wanted to acknowledge and see the person for who they are. It says so much about who he was to all of us. He made us all feel important.”
It’s why Critchfield and others were teary at their annual COE faculty conference on Wednesday, a day in which they honored Mason, who died in a car accident in May, by wearing his favorite floral shirts and granting the first Woody Mason Unsung Hero Award.
“He made everybody feel like they were the most important person to be around,” she said, her voice cracking before the presentation in Building 42.
Mason, an online instructor for COE for 12 years, died on his way to a move to Minnesota. Dr. Allison Mason, his wife and former associate dean of the Colangelo College of Business, and their children, Joanna and Alex, were already there after she had secured a new job in her home state.
It hit the college hard for the self-described "don't-look-at-me type person," and the room fell silent as Critchfield began: “Many of you know Woody often liked to operate behind the scenes, but he operated behind the scenes with a sense of kindness, generosity, grace and that ever-present smile. And so it’s important that this award be symbolic, this year and for years to come, of his legacy of who he was and how he exemplified Jesus, His hands and His feet, every single day doing that work.”
Allison Mason joined the room via live video to thank the GCU community for their support and online tributes in what was a rough summer to endure. Many talked of his salt-of-the-earth ways, love of music, his sense of humor and how he treated people.
“It really did prove the impact he made on your lives and, I imagine, on his students’ lives.
“He really loved you guys a lot. He didn’t have a lot of super close friends, post-college, and you all became those people. You may not have seen him every day and spent time outside of work with him, but you certainly came up in conversations, only in the best ways … He would never say anything negative about anyone.
“We’re still trying to kind of put the pieces back together, and so it was really a nice way to honor and recognize him when we just didn’t have the strength and energy to do it. So thank you, everyone.”
Every year, COE gives faculty awards and takes nominations from the staff. Every year, one person always nominated Woody Mason, someone who also often humbly works behind the scenes.
So when Emily Farkas stood up to accept the first Woody Mason Unsung Hero Award, her lip trembled. The director of the Canyon Center for Character Education has the task of spreading the message of good character throughout GCU and to teachers everywhere.
The last time she talked to Mason, she was excited for his move and his future, she said.
“I just took the chance, and I just told him: ‘I think the absolute world of you,’ and gave him a big old hug,” Farkas said. “So I encourage you to do the same, tell your people, whether you are super close or not … Just tell your people. Tell your people.”
Farkas said afterward that she was honored by the award in the name of a man she has known for 20 years, going back to their days teaching together at Alta Loma Elementary School in Peoria, Arizona.
“He lit up the room wherever he went. Little kids would always be following him; they just wanted to be around him,” she said. “He was always strumming his guitar and had this fancy glass he used to carry around and drink water out of, just to get the attention of the kids. He was just the kindest individual.”
One of the last things he did at GCU was to be part of a video for Farkas’ character center, when faculty members nominated colleagues for displaying core values of character and surprise them with the announcement as the tape rolled.
COE’s Kimber Underdown nominated Mason, and his liveliness and humor became a visual memory for the staff that was shared at the faculty meeting.
“Was I doing something fantastic?” Mason asked with a gentle smile.
She told him it was special how he recognized people and “always sees the good in others.”
Mason said it’s important to model those values before his last message to GCU:
“I feel unconditional love and support from my colleagues.”
OTHER COE AWARDS
Teacher Placement Counselor of the Year: Gavin Boylan
Field Experience Counselor of the Year: Alexandra Schilling
Faculty Supervisor of the Year: Dr. Mary Ann Manos
Online Fulltime Faculty Member of the Year: Dr. Micaela Swan
Ground Fulltime Faculty Member of the Year: Jennifer Jakobi
Staff Members of the Year: Executive Director of Clinical Practice Julianne Brett and Associate Dean Dr. Emily Pottinger
Lope Appreciation Award: Dr. Tacy Ashby
Grand Canyon University senior writer Mike Kilen can be reached at [email protected]
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