By Rick Vacek
GCU News Bureau
A year of challenge and change was celebrated Saturday in the Delta Mu Delta induction ceremony.
Yes, celebrated. And rightfully so.
It certainly was a celebration of 76 new members in Grand Canyon University’s Eta Chi chapter of the international business honor society. That was to be expected – moving the twice-a-year ceremony online because of the pandemic has given more inductees than ever a chance to participate, and the virtual presence still will be available when it is in person again.
But the talks by the keynote speaker, Dr. Henry Cooper of the Colangelo College of Business, and the CCOB dean, Dr. Randy Gibb, also gave the Zoom gathering an education in what GCU and Delta Mu Delta stand for and what members can attain through their affiliation with the organization.
Cooper, who in the fall will become a supporting faculty member for Eta Chi, titled his thoughts “There Is Honor in Change” and began by sharing quotes from two ancient Greek philosophers.
Around 500 B.C., as he contemplated the futility of going to a flowing river and trying to grasp the same drop of water twice, Heraclitus opined, “Change is the only constant in life.”
A couple hundred years later, Socrates had this to say: “Knowledge is about giving an opinion. Find the exception by questioning and then give a better answer or opinion.”
Change is indeed a normal part of life, Cooper said, and he urged his listeners to bring about change by asking questions:
“I implore you to seek solace in change because challenge and change are mirror images, and both are, once embraced, honors for meeting the challenges of change to be overcome.”
Gibb focused on the importance of capitalism in solving the world’s problems and cited two inspirational quotations that are on the walls of the CCOB Building.
From Eric Beinhocker and Nick Hanauer:
“The genius of capitalism is that it both creates incentives for solving human problems and makes those solutions widely available. And it is the solutions to human problems that define prosperity, not money.”
From Pastor Christopher Brooks of Moody Theological Seminary:
“The greatest way to eradicate material poverty throughout the world is to unleash the entrepreneurial and enterprising spirit that God has placed within each of us.”
Gibb added, “Our government cannot do it alone. We need businesses to solve problems.”
Change also is in store for Eta Chi. Besides Cooper, Merri Pedersen also will be a supporting faculty member in the fall semester, and David Blackledge is expected to be a speaker in the fall and then come on board as supporting faculty in the spring.
They will join chapter advisors Dr. Helen Hammond and Dr. Moronke Oke. Tracy Lauterborn, another key member of the Eta Chi leadership team, is moving on to other CCOB projects after devoting considerable time to Delta Mu Delta.
Two members of the Delta Mu Delta national leadership team – Jeff Arnold, Executive Director, and Dr. Kevin McCarthy, President – once again participated in the induction ceremony. Eta Chi earned national recognition last year when it won the Anthony J. Jablonsky Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award.
Students also were a big part of the presentation, as usual. Eta Chi President Elise Martinson, Vice President Kate Ruhlman, Secretary Delia Van Heukelem and Social Media Manager Hannah Hinderliter were presenters.
Eta Chi’s continued success is indicative of the CCOB spirit during the pandemic.
“We didn’t want to use COVID as an excuse,” Gibb said. “We had to continue to educate. Students had to still own their learning. We couldn’t use COVID as an excuse for not getting students jobs – there are jobs out there.”
It’s all part of the challenge and change. And the celebration.
Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or [email protected].
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