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.
AMANDA SHEPHERD
Job title: Enrollment counselor
Job location: Peoria
What attracted you to GCU? A drive to create excitement about going to school and the possibilities that come from a world-class education! We really need to make education exciting because it is such a large decision and truly has the power to change our students’ lives and the lives of their family members. Education is the one thing no one can take from you. It is an investment in yourself to be a more well-rounded person.
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? I enjoy re-enactment activities, in which you dress and act the part of previous eras or maybe even a time yet to come. Think of it as theme costumes, events and entertainment. I am a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. My favorite SCA event is Estrella War, a weeklong Renaissance-themed camp-out with many activities for adults and children to enjoy while dressed up in their best garb. I also am affiliated with End Of Days. If you’ve ever heard of "Mad Max," "Fallout" or any "end of civilization" fiction, then you can get an idea what those events are like. There are many events hosted by this group throughout the year, but my favorite is Wasteland Weekend, the world’s largest post-apocalyptic festival. It is really very neat. People make their own costumes from things they can find and modify their cars for a car show. Bottle caps are used as currency, and there also is a fashion show and battle robots. This year's event is scheduled for Sept. 22-25 in California City, Calif.
What are you passionate about? I am passionate about living life to the fullest while continuing to find my purpose. My goal is to be a varied, well-rounded individual. By this I mean meeting many different types of people and experience as many different types of lifestyles as I can.
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? I get really excited every year for the Arizona Renaissance Festival, which opens this weekend. I also enjoy attending Comic-Con at the Phoenix Convention Center and the Comic-Con Fan Fest at University of Phoenix Stadium. It’s everything from comic book super heroes, villains, video games, sci-fi shows, movies and even Disney. I love these types of events because of the community involvement and the spirit of craft that is involved. They are so much fun!
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I got the nickname “Captain” at my first Estrella War four years ago. A man next to a bonfire told me he was a real sea captain, and I went with it. People still do call me that – mostly friends and co-workers from my last job. The full name given to me that most people do not know is Captain Shep Devinblood. It’s my pirate name!
What are you most proud of? The life I lead and my desire to be as varied as possible. I like to put myself in the place of others and even people throughout history – thus the re-enactment events – to see what their life was like. I try to travel as much as I can while working and earning my master’s degree. I already have been to Ireland, and I have my ticket to Japan for later this year.
