By Rick Vacek
GCU News Bureau
Mark Rosewaren is just as devoted to Grand Canyon University basketball as any of the alumni who will flock to homecoming Saturday night.
Even though he’s nearly 8,000 miles away.
The 2013 GCU graduate, an Air Force master sergeant stationed in Afghanistan, faithfully watches the Lopes when their games are aired online. He’s such a fan, he wrote to University officials asking for a bit of GCU swag he could display at his base.
Much to his shock, they sent him two GCU hats, two GCU shirts, pens, pads, a GCU mug and the biggest prize of all – a basketball signed by coach Dan Majerle.
Rosewaren’s reaction via email:
I received your gift today. Absolutely wonderful! Much more than I thought you would be sending. I pictured a flag and a couple of pens.
I feel like a 10-year-old kid looking at a simple signature from one of my favorite NBA players and now the coach of my Lopes.
Never expected his signature.
Thank you, thank you! So proud to be a Lope!
I will always advertise and share with others the great experience I had through GCU.
I hope you will display my picture to those in your office and realize the good you are doing for your Lopes who are serving our great nation.
God Bless,
Mark Rosewaren
A little more about Rosewaren:
He earned his master’s degree in Christian studies from GCU while continuing his 35 years in the military. “Two left until retirement,” he wrote in his email, adding that he intends to dive into ministry when that day comes.
He spent six years on active duty in California and Korea and for the last 29 years has been with the California and Utah Air National Guard, with deployments to Asia, Europe and the Middle East (twice). His current rotation is a six-month stint.
He also has done part-time ministry for Utah State Hospital in Provo, Utah. He and his wife, Stacey, live in Vineyard, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City and just a mile from Utah Valley University, and have four children, all adults, and six grandchildren.
He has been known to cover a lot of distance, one way or another. He has run 10 marathons, including Boston, and is such a big GCU fan, he drove to Phoenix last spring to watch the final three baseball games of the regular season. That’s actually his favorite sport – baseball.
“Thankful for my experience with GCU,” he wrote. “I spent two years going through the online program while receiving my degree at the campus. Great instructors and mentors and a great but challenging program.”
He’s a fan. And now he has the swag to prove it.
SATURDAY'S HOMECOMING SCHEDULE:
7 a.m. -- Golf tournament (GCU Golf Course)
9 a.m. -- Brunch with Thunder (The Lope House, GCU Golf Course)
1 p.m. -- Coffee Hour with Future Alumni Board (Student Union, GCBC, 2nd Floor)
2 p.m. -- Campus tours (Tent outside of Antelope Reception Center)
3:30 p.m. -- Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Student Union, Library, 4th Floor)
4:30 p.m. -- BBQ tailgate and derby kart races (Quad)
7 p.m. -- Men’s basketball game (GCU Arena)
Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or [email protected].
