EDITOR'S NOTE: The following feature, called "5-On-5," was originally published in the August issue of GCU Magazine, available in the purple magazine bins across campus or digitally. It's where we ask faculty or staff five questions, which are printed on Page 5 of the magazine.
In addition to teaching online general psychology classes and a capstone course, Dr. Andrea Hogan, associate professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, speaks on women’s identity and is an author. Her children’s book series, “Goose on the Green,” introduces psychology-based concepts through the golf world.
Hogan, known by her students as Dr. Dre, started playing golf after leaving an unhealthy relationship. She discusses the sport as therapy on her social media accounts, where she’s been dubbed “The Golfing Professor.” Her goal is to make psychology usable beyond the classroom so students live with greater intention.
1 How much of your general psychology classes involve making freshmen feel comfortable as much as teaching them?
I spend a lot of time on stress management. I spend a lot of time on behavior modification, upward conditioning. Like, do you have a habit that you want to get rid of or healthy habits you want to incorporate? I do a lot on health psychology and on time management because with freshmen, that’s what they’re going to need to be successful in school, and in life. I do a lot of things about wellness, such as how to find balance in your life.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with the six dimensions of wellness, but you need to have spiritual, occupational, social, physical, intellectual and emotional wellness.
2 Why did you select a goose for your book?
There’s always some kind of water, and there’s always some kind of goose on the golf course. I always have one watching me, and once I started golfing, I thought, psychology shows up in real time on the golf course so much because you must regulate. … You can’t dwell on the last shot. It might have gone into the water, but you must focus on the next one. I just think concepts in psychology naturally show up in the game. I thought, what better way to teach kids about it than a beautiful golf course?
3 You were a dancer?
I was a competitive dancer, cheerleader and baton twirler. I even competed at nationals and performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Fun fact: I used to judge the GCU cheerleader tryouts way back in 2008-2010 while they were still in person and not online.
4 How is it you just now discovered golf?
I left a domestically abusive relationship. Once I left, I got to start doing things for me. One of the things was that I’m going to use this country club (in Mesa) that I paid for, and I joined a ladies league. When I went from having my kids 100% to 50-50, I thought, what am I going to do with my time? A lot of times I could teach this to my psychology students, as well. You could sit and be sad, or you could say, “I’m going to use this to learn something new.” Me being on the golf course took my mind off that because I had to focus on learning how to swing, learning how to get par, and it was a healthy coping mechanism when I was going through a really tumultuous time.
5 How competitive are you on the golf course?
I’m actually a member of three different female golf leagues here in Arizona: Babes Golf, Golf Party Live and Golf Gals. I will tell you that golfing with ladies is wonderful because we really celebrate each other. If somebody gets a birdie, I feel like I got a birdie, even though it wasn’t my birdie. I also play in a three-player scramble, and we all work as a team. People don’t think golf is a team sport, but when you’re playing a scramble, it absolutely is, and I think that’s a fun part of it.
Mark Gonzales, a senior writer for GCU News in the Office of Communications and Public Relations, can be reached at [email protected].
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Also from the magazine:
In demand: Why employers keep coming back to GCU
How AI is helping integrate Christian worldview authentically into GCU's curriculum
From embassy work to a Holy Land visit, Lopes lived large this summer
