Antelope Intros is a recurring GCU Today feature that introduces some of our new employees to the people around them in a way that is fun and informative. Employees are eligible to be featured in the month following their orientation.
ALENA LANCOUR
Job title: Talent acquisition coordinator
Job location: 27th Avenue
What attracted you to GCU? I am a GCU grad! While I worked as an instructional assistant during my master’s program, I loved the atmosphere, the positivity and the encouraging and welcoming feeling I felt every day. After I completed my master’s degree I tried to pursue employment in many places around metro Phoenix and nothing “fit.” I missed the sense of belonging, welcome and appreciation that I had felt at GCU. Thankfully, I was able to become a full-time employee, and as I expected I love it.
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? For fun, I do all of the traditional things: reading, hiking and spending time with my family, friends and pets. I also enjoy creating art and jewelry. I greatly enjoy creating miniatures, sculptures and jewelry from polymer clay (also known as fimo).
What are you passionate about? I am passionate about learning, art, personal expression, being comfortable with who you are and making personal connections really count. We are a society of separation and isolation, and I believe that goes against our true nature as compassionate and community-based creatures. To be healthy and whole, we need meaningful connections and family in our lives. So go tell someone whom you appreciate that you GENUINELY appreciate them, even if it’s your dog. Do it right now! Both of you will feel better.
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? One of my favorite events is the annual Tres Rios Nature & Earth Festival at Estrella Mountain Regional Park. It includes chances to learn about the desert fauna and get up close with interesting desert animals, such as burrowing owls (so cute!), tortoises, red-tailed hawks, Gila monsters, great horned owls and falcons. It’s a lot of fun and very educational for the whole family.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: For about a year, I had a small business selling my polymer clay items. I have been on a short “hiatus” while I focused on getting a job, but now that I have been hired at GCU, I hope to reopen my online store soon.
What are you most proud of? I am most proud of who I have become in the last year. I have been battling self-confidence and general anxiety issues for much of my life, and within the last year I experienced many personal challenges that helped me to rebuild my self-confidence. I found a sense of personal security I have never known before. I now feel very much at peace with myself, and that is a huge personal accomplishment. I am very excited to take on the next chapter of my life with these positive changes in place.
___
JIMMY BOUSE
Job title: Enrollment counselor, College of Education
Job location: Tempe
What attracted you to GCU? The Christian values that are found at GCU are what originally attracted me here. To work at a job where the Lord Jesus Christ is at its foundation is a great source of pride for me. I can honestly say I have never found more gratification working anywhere else. It feels good. When I think about it, I smile. To be able to go to sleep and wake up every day feeling this way about what you do is a big deal for me, and I’m grateful for it.
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? I love baseball. I grew up in Los Angeles so I love the Dodgers, but the Diamondbacks run a close second. I have been blessed with three sons – Jameson, 7, Rollins, 5, and Hendrix, 3 – and watching each of them get excited about baseball is a highlight in life for me. I am really excited to take them to watch GCU play different sports as much as possible.
What are you passionate about? My biggest passion is helping people better their lives. One of the greatest parts of my job is helping people find a way to a better place in life. I feel blessed in my life, and if I can bless others’ lives it is the least I can do. It also has been my experience in life that serving others is the fastest way to understanding who I really am. I serve my family and I serve my students, but I’m the one who is blessed.
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? Taking the light rail from the East Valley into downtown Phoenix is a favorite for my family. We don’t even have to have plans; you can hop on the train and head into hundreds of different places. The cultural diversity downtown is great for the kids and fun for the adults. I think the downtown scene using the light rail can be fun for singles, couples and families, and it doesn’t break a budget.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: My children’s mother named my youngest son Hendrix so she could introduce us as “Jimmy ’n’ Hendrix,” and she does so every chance she can. I have to admit I try to throw it into introductions now, too.
What are you most proud of? My biggest source of pride is definitely my family. People talk about how children change you. They definitely changed me. My kids make me want to be a better person. They are my little heroes. I mean … look at them!
