One Washington, D.C., attorney. A lead pastor. A caseworker for a congressman. A nonprofit coordinator. All student body alumni.
They’re working as counsel in the U.S. House. Leading nonprofits or university departments. Representing businesses or congressmen.
Grand Canyon University student body leaders in the last dozen years have used their experience planning events and helming meetings, speaking at ceremonies and convening with university leaders to excel after graduation.
“The life lessons they learn will be applicable to almost any position that they go into. The responsibilities they get to be a part of are pretty big,” said Jeremy Mack, director of Student Engagement, adding that it includes meeting regularly with President Brian Mueller. “You get to walk into these environments, and how you handle that now will set the tone for how you will do it in the future.”
Associated Students of GCU leaders create an agenda, plan events, set budgets and communicate with all levels of people across campus to represent students.
“The expectation is 20 hours a week, but most put in 40 hours a week,” Mack said. “What we ask of them and what they give is a real indicator of their success.”
Each president can leave an enduring mark. Twelve years ago, Cody Dumas helped usher in advocacy for mental health that continues today; five years ago, Sam Yonan led the way for crosses to be erected on campus; three years ago, first-generation students gained agency during Darion Padilla’s administration.
Before incoming president Ashley Cote starts her term in August, GCU News reached out to several former presidents and vice presidents to find out where they are today and how their tenure helped them.
Nick Ely
President, 2012-13
Where is he now? Ely is the lead pastor of Christ Church Central Phoenix.
Best memories: “The times I spent building relationships with my friends. I have great memories of playing Spikeball, doing life group, working out and sharing great conversations in dorm lobbies. Some of the friendships that began at GCU are still very dear to me. When I lived in Prescott Hall with KJ Gould and Tanner Enderle, the three of us used to dream about planting a church together, and now we all work together at the church that we planted just down the road.”
How the experience influenced him: “ASGCU was very different when I was involved … What is now the Canyon Activities Board was a part of ASGCU, and that was my favorite part. I love planning and executing events, and many of my fondest memories came from working hard with a team to create memorable experiences for students. Events like Lip Sync, Mr. GCU, Hanging of the Greens and Midnight Breakfast required a lot of creativity and collaboration to pull off, but it was so gratifying to see our peers enjoy them. Serving as student body president gave me formative experience in building teams, speaking publicly and leading people, which are all things that I do regularly as a pastor.”
Cody Dumas
President, 2015-16
Where is he now? Dumas is a talent consultant with JPS Health Network, Fort Worth, Texas.
Best memories: Dumas recalls the fun of training before his term started and starring in videos to showcase the campus – both great bonding experiences – and the powerful feeling he got after a sleepless campaign led to fellow students showing they had faith in him to lead.
But what he was most proud of was launching ASGCU campaigns for mental health and sexual assault awareness, which continue a dozen years later, though Dumas said it was new territory on most campuses back then and carried a risk of backlash. “Fortunately, GCU was very open to these conversations (students, faculty, staff, administrators, etc.) I believe ASGCU played a large part in normalizing these topics and raised a strong educated awareness in our small part of the world.”
How the experience influenced him: Dumas said the experience changed his life’s trajectory, from thinking of going into the film industry to wanting to support students. He worked at Grand Canyon, Southern Methodist and Texas Christian universities before his role in health care.
“ASGCU really set the bar high when it comes to training and orientation. In my role now, I support two academic programs, and I am responsible for organizing their training. In addition, my time on ASGCU strengthened my ability to listen and communicate with those I am working with, especially when it comes to advocating for others or resolving an issue. Lastly, ASGCU played an integral role in helping me understand empathy and how I can bring that into whatever role or position I am in.”
Slate Herman
President, 2015-16
Where is he now? Attorney for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee, Washington, D.C.
Best memories: A highlight was enacting the GCU Student Constitution, which “enshrines students’ ability to elect their peers in representing the student voice to GCU administrators.”
But more than that, he loved working alongside other student leaders.“Through early mornings and late nights, ASGCU’s student leaders go the extra mile in supporting the health, wellness and overall on-campus experience of their peers.”
How the experience influenced him: “Working on Capitol Hill requires much of the same stakeholder coordination that was pivotal during my time as ASGCU president. Engaging with students who care deeply about the campus food options is surprisingly similar to meeting with public and private interest groups on communications policy,” he said, adding that the faith community nourished at GCU still helps him flourish. “GCU provided me with some of my closest friends who eventually became my groomsmen. … We still speak on a weekly basis, and it is a highlight of my week.”
Additional thoughts: GCU News described Herman and his sister’s battle with cancer. While his sister, Isabelle, died in 2020, he went on to law school at the University of Colorado and received his final chemotherapy treatment on Dec. 22, 2021. “I wouldn’t be here today without the support of so many people, including my wife, Abbie Herman, parents, Justin and Diane Herman, and the many friends I made at GCU … In fact, two of my fellow GCU grads drove me to the hospital the night I was diagnosed. The GCU community is something I’ll never take for granted.”
Noah Wolfe
President, 2018-19
Where is he now? Director of Development at GCU
Best memories: Wolfe never forgets being part of a community in action. “There’s a lot of negative news and tough environments … so to be part of one that was so genuine, loving and innovative was life changing for me.”
How the experience influenced him: “The majority of jobs and commitments require you to work effectively with others. It's easy to overestimate how competent you are at this. My time in student leadership made it abundantly clear I had a lot of growth that needed to occur. Thankfully, GCU provided me an environment where this growth could happen ...”
Additional thoughts: “If you find something in life that deeply moves you (a core concept, belief system or a community of people) don't be afraid to go all in on it, especially when you're younger and figuring out the things you want to live for and dedicate your life to. There's no shame in going all in on a great idea.”
Ben Claypool
Vice president, 2021-22
Where is he now? Demand planner for dog treats, PetSmart Corporate, Phoenix
Best memories: “I would spend the whole day with our executive team (on the campaign or running events), and we would go on to be very close after our time at GCU. I truly did meet some of my best friends, president Darion Padilla and chief of staff Tyson Cantrell. I see them regularly and even have the honor of having them as groomsmen at my wedding in October.”
How the experience influenced him: “One (skill) I use almost daily is effective cross-functional communication. Working in a corporate environment, I have to juggle many different communications between teams, and my time as VP helped me master that very early on. I also was able to get plenty of public speaking experience that I never would have gotten had I not had the opportunity to present so often at GCU.”
Sam Yonan
President, 2019-2020
Where is he now? Director of ministry partnerships at Choices Pregnancy Center, Phoenix
Best memories: “One thing I loved to have started and helped film was our GCU news, an entertaining and engaging way to get news and updates out to students. In filming another video for an upcoming event, I wore roller blades and held a rope attached to a bike in front of me. Having never rode roller blades before, I fell straight on my rear on Lopes Way. … It's a hilarious video I still think about today.”
How the experience influenced him: “Speaking during Welcome Week, graduation ceremonies, Discover trips and other campus events helped give me a lot of opportunities to work on public speaking. This has been an integral part of my role at Choices … (and) developing communication skills was critical and also something that has been essential in my current role.”
Additional thoughts: “I met my wife during our campaign week. We were married in June 2021 and celebrated our daughter's first birthday in April of this year. And we hope that she'll be a Lope one day.”
Dylan Mahoney
President, 2020-21
Where is he now? Law student at Regent University Law School and judicial extern for 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Best memories: “We had a unique challenge of making sure that our students had as close to a ‘normal’ school year as possible despite all of the roadblocks caused by the pandemic. We met with the administration frequently to monitor how students were feeling socially, spiritually and academically, while attending school on a hybrid schedule so that we could make sure everyone was taken care of in such a challenging time. Additionally, we tried our best to spread joy through our creative ASGCU social media videos. One way we served the community was through our work assisting the administration with establishing CityServe on our campus.”
How the experience influenced him: Mahoney said leading a team of more than 70 students, conducting executive meetings, managing a budget, public speaking and networking with countless professionals were the single most formative experiences for him professionally. “Even now, I feel as though the critical thinking, writing and speaking skills gained through my experience in ASGCU are incredibly helpful to me today.”
Additional thoughts: “I met my wife at GCU sitting in professor (Dr. Joshua) Greever’s New Testament Survey class. Lopes up!”
Darion Padilla
President, 2021-22
Where is he now? Event coordinator for Donor Network of Arizona, Phoenix
Best memories: Padilla met some of his lifelong friends through ASGCU while working with them to advocate for the student body. “One of the best examples was when we learned through a survey that students really wanted a pasta option on campus. We asked President Brian Mueller and GCU Dining, and within a month, students could enjoy pasta on campus again. Small, impactful changes that made the world of difference to GCU students because they felt seen and heard.”
How the experience influenced him: “Advocacy plays center stage in my current role. I think back to (vice president) Ben Claypool's and my advocacy for first-generation students. We had to rally support among different departments and leaders to make effective and meaningful change.”
Additional thoughts: Padilla does not miss a chance at advocacy. “Donor Network of Arizona (DNA) fulfills the lifesaving and life-healing mission of organ and tissue donation as the state’s federally designated organ procurement organization. More than 103,000 people nationally and 1,600 in Arizona are waiting for a lifesaving transplant. You can make a difference by registering today at donatelifeaz.org.”
Camden Marasco
President, 2022-23
Where is he now? MBA student at University of Notre Dame
Best memories: Marasco’s time at GCU was bookended by Welcome Week as a freshman and senior. As a freshman, he was bowled over by the support, amazing people and events, but as a senior, “I gave everything I had to GCU. I spent every day of the summer working as a tour guide. … After several tours, I ventured to the Student Life Building to work with ASGCU in the afternoon and plan Welcome Week and the fall semester. August 2019 offered so much promise for an incredible college experience, and as my senior year began, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness for an incredible college journey.”
How the experience influenced him: He called it the most challenging and rewarding experience in college, executing a full daily calendar while contributing to university decisions. “Three significant takeaways I gained from my role include self-management, shrewd resilience and unwavering confidence. After I walked across the (commencement) stage, I recognized a stronger ability to control my mindset in any situation. Serving as president translated directly into my graduate school experience, where I was also nominated by my peers for student government president, which I respectfully declined, and landed a competitive offer at IBM’s global headquarters.”
Additional thoughts: “I discovered that when I set lofty ambitions, I may not always receive the outcome that I sought, but I always gain an experience that improves my personal development. Life can be challenging, but God is good all the time.”
Tyson Cantrell
Vice president, 2022-23
Where is he now? GCU Student Engagement coordinator
Best memories: Cantrell’s favorite moments were his “small and random interactions” with students, parents, faculty and staff. It’s why he’s pursuing a master’s degree at GCU in industrial and organization psychology, to understand individuals, build meaningful connections and to help others realize their potential in the workplace.
How the experience influenced him: “It teaches you valuable skills in large topics, such as conflict negotiation, advocacy and time management. Additionally, it gives an individual firsthand experience with soft skills, such as communicating effectively and efficiently. It is a running joke when the mantle of responsibility is passed from one presidency to another, ‘This role will age you,’ meaning that individuals who leave the office will have gained the skills that will launch them into their next phase of life.”
Jagaar Halverson
President, 2023-24
Where is he now? Field representative and caseworker for U.S. Rep. David Schweikert
Best memories: Halverson’s busy schedule led to late nights, but so did a love of hanging out with other students in Bible study or on the Quad. “Getting to represent the student body in the community was one of my favorite aspects. I liked going to the mayor’s State of the City address. It was a time of celebration as we got to celebrate our city.”
How the experience influenced him: “I am more mature and have a lot more professionalism. … I had the chance to meet with elected officials and administration that typically students would not get to meet with. This meant that as I entered the professional world post college, I was set up to come into a role like I am in now that forces you to be professional, as I am not only representing the congressman, I am representing the constituents he represents.”
Additional thoughts: “GCU was an incredibly impactful time in my life, and I can honestly say I would not be the person I am without it. I found the Lord, and I was able to network a lot in order for me to get the job I have now.”
