Faculty, staff recognized at Lope Appreciation event

Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow

Before breaking for the summer, Grand Canyon University wrapped up the academic year by celebrating its faculty, staff and leadership at the Lope Appreciation event Tuesday morning at GCU Arena, hosted by Academic Affairs.

Provost Dr. Randy Gibb spoke to the hundreds who packed the Arena floor about how the University cannot move forward without the individuals on campus who share their unique abilities.

He reflected on Romans 12:4-8, which states: “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, through many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”

Gibb said, “That work done across the campus is just phenomenal,” and shared one of the year’s big accomplishments — a new mission statement. The key words for him in that mission statement: That GCU is a “missional, Christ-centered University.”

President Brian Mueller, who also spoke at the event, celebrated the students who have graduated from GCU in the five years since the University returned to nonprofit status.

He shared how GCU has invested millions of dollars to build classrooms, laboratories, swimming pools, “two Chick-fil-A’s and, coming this year, Jimmy John’s.” It continued to add academic programs, even during the pandemic, and has not increased tuition for the 15th consecutive year. And he detailed how GCU finds innovative ways to make sure students can learn where they are in their lives and the four learning platforms that make that possible: in-person, online, hybrid (a combination of online and brick-and-mortar attendance) and a platform centered around the trades, such as the Pre-Apprenticeship for Electricians program.

He also touched on what the future looks like for GCU. The University trailblazed online learning and now wants to do the same for artificial intelligence.

“Somebody needs to take an ownership role,” he said, and why not a Christian university like GCU. “… This summer is going to be a lot of thinking, a lot of brainstorming.”

He sees it as a years-long process to develop the University’s leadership in artificial intelligence learning, with GCU already having formed an A.I. committee.

The work will be done by faculty and staff using their gifts to move the body of GCU forward, as Gibb said.

“It’s helping people. It’s how to help society, how to live out our Christian faith by serving others. … Thank you, thank you, for this work, because we are impacting the world through our graduates, through our teaching.”

Here are the awards presented at Lope Appreciation.

Provost Excellence Awards

Receiving the Provost Excellence Awards for performance, professionalism and commitment to excellence, as chosen by each college’s deans are:

Faculty Advisors of the Year

Faculty Rank & Term Tenure Promotions

Committees

The campus’ many committees, and the faculty and staff who serve on them, also were recognized: