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.
TENNILLE FELDBUSH
Job title: Online full-time English faculty
Job location: Tempe
What attracted you to GCU? I first heard about GCU at one of my part-time jobs as a careers/college readiness teacher at an Idaho charter school. I invited a GCU representative to come and speak to my class. I was impressed by the GCU representative’s love of GCU over all the other college representatives’ appeals. Later, as a lead Adult Basic Education teacher for Rio Salado College in Phoenix, one of my instructors also shared her love for GCU as a master’s student. I decided to apply to GCU as an adjunct English instructor. Not only did I catch the GCU bug as an on-campus adjunct in August 2014, I have become a full-blown, full-time, online faculty member. The bug, I found out, is how caring and supportive all of the staff members are at every level.
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? I enjoy writing poetry, listening to audio books and movies in the sci-fi/fantasy genres, walking/hiking, singing and swimming. My husband, Mike, and I also like weekend drives. I published a poetry book titled “Seven to Ten Missing Skies,” based loosely on my experience teaching adult basic education in prisons. I also post haiku and pictures under my Twitter handle, prayeracappella, and sing sometimes online on YouTube and SoundCloud.
What are you passionate about? I am passionate about self-expression, creativity, learning and spirituality. Oh, and cats! Much of this comes through my experiences volunteering in church, homeless and animal shelters, and other centers. When I volunteer, it is usually in a singing, creative writing, animal-centered or tutoring capacity. I also spend a lot of time with my husband and our Manx cat, Smokey.
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? My husband and I recently joined the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden. I highly recommend the Desert Botanical Garden’s yearly pass. It is a wonderful spot to walk, take pictures and relax. I also like the Desert Breeze Park for the same reasons, plus it is free. I am also a thrift store junky. Hidden Treasures is a great store for low priced clothes and décor. Movies are fun, too!
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I am an identical twin. My twin sister, Tammy, lives near where we grew up in Oregon. She is an elementary music teacher.
What are you most proud of? My husband, family and students. My husband started out after college with a geography degree working at Mircon Technology in a microchip fabrication role. Through prior experience as a bookkeeper and further experiences as a trainer, he moved up into accounting. During progression upward through accounting roles, he acquired an MBA from the University of Phoenix and worked his way into financial analysis. He is now a budget analyst for US Script in Tempe. His lifelong learning continues — he is taking classes for data analysis. Some of my early writing students are making wonderful career progressions as well. One is a successful grant writer.
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JASON LINDERS
Job title: Senior associate athletic director for student-athlete development
Job location: Main campus
What attracted you to GCU? The synergy I felt when I stepped on campus and the opportunity to be part of something special, including both the institution and athletics.
What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? I try to play as much golf as I can, hike with family, spend Daddy/daughter time with my girls, or ride my bike to have that time to think.
What are you passionate about? Impacting young people’s lives and watching them develop as a student, an athlete and a person.
What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? I’ve been here only a few weeks, but I enjoy Thunderbird Conservation Park and Bobby-Q, and I want to visit the Arizona Aloha Festival next spring.
Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: Even though I played college football (Cal State Humboldt) and ran track and field (Bakersfield College), I played ice hockey growing up in Santa Ana, Calif.
Who are you most proud of? Besides my daughters (Kayla, Kalani and Kamea), probably my wife, Annette, earning her MBA online while working a full-time job, being the head of household and taking care of daily tasks while I work in a demanding field like athletics.
