By Jeannette Cruz
GCU News Bureau
As voting begins for new leaders of the Associated Students of Grand Canyon University (ASGCU), it's a time for President Nate Carpenter to reflect on his year in office.
A special highlight for Carpenter has been working alongside his best friend, Vice President Matthew Shinn. Carpenter said the pair has invested at least 30 to 40 hours a week since October 2016, when they initially began putting together a list of initiatives and a platform.
“Planning, talking, thinking …” said Carpenter. “You really come to appreciate and value those times and the importance of collaboration because you can get burnt out. Matt is the right-hand guy, friend, brother and family.”
Carpenter admitted that it was Shinn who inspired him to seek the position.
“He is essential,” Carpenter said. “He oversees two of the toughest groups we have in ASGCU – senate and clubs. They constantly have things going on to create student involvement and interaction.”
The three president/VP tickets seeking to follow in their footsteps will participate in a debate at 6 p.m. Monday at GCBC on the second floor of the Student Union. Voting kicked off Monday and will continue through Wednesday at various campus locations.
Carpenter is proud of several accomplishments during his one-year term. He ran on a platform targeting a more informed student body, bringing more awareness to mental health and counseling, and building traditions that were engaging and entertaining. Carpenter said coming into the position, he wanted to ensure it was God’s calling for him. After much prayer, he pushed building community through genuine love from Christ.
“It definitely has a lot of sentimental value that you want to hold on to because you take so much pride and dedicate so much time into it. It has been a wonderful privilege to be in this position and I have loved every second of it,” he said.
“It’s humbling to see how hard ASGCU works. A lot of what they do goes unseen and it is incredible to watch a group of people that is so passionate about making sure that they are serving the students well. They really do take it full force.”
The business management major added, “In the real world, this is everything you learn in business classes and actually applied. You see first-hand what it’s like to work on projects, work as a team and manage your time – that is fantastic.”
Now, he has some advice for his successor: “Listen to God and what He puts in your heart. Trust what you know is right and don’t be afraid to ask for help. No one can do this alone.”
But Carpenter's job isn’t done. Future events on campus include "Red Flags in Relationships," coming up in February, and Embrace Week (Mental Health Awareness) in March.
Contact Jeannette Cruz at (602) 639-6631 or [email protected].
