EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the final in a series of profiles on the GCU's Ingram Honors College Student Advisory Council.
Before college, Armani Jefferson’s world revolved around basketball.
From elementary school until high school graduation, Jefferson spent most of her time on the court. But when it was time to start college, she traded in her basketball shoes for books.
The California native found her passion at Grand Canyon University as a forensic psychology major, with her heart set on spending her future working with youth in juvenile detention centers.
For Jefferson, that starts with developing skills for community building.
Jefferson is headed into her senior year as the Ingram Honors College Student Advisory Council director of Community and Belonging Committee in the 2026-27 academic year.
1. How did you choose GCU?
I got a call from a GCU admissions counselor asking about my interest, which turned into me wanting to know more. At the time, I was committed to Louisiana State University, but they weren’t as responsive and helpful as GCU. The bonus was that it was a Christian school.
I remember visiting the GCU campus and really feeling like I could see myself here. I liked that GCU had a strong sense of community, and I saw many ways to get involved and grow outside of classes. Once I learned about the Honors College and everything it offered, I felt like GCU was a place where I could make the most of my college experience.
2. What is the best GCU event you’ve attended?
I would probably say Silent Disco. It’s one of those events that you have to experience for yourself. Everyone has their headphones on, dancing to different music, and it’s just so fun to see everyone enjoying themselves. I love events like that because you can just let loose, have fun with your friends and make memories.
3. Growing up, you wanted to be an FBI agent. What is your favorite FBI show that fed that passion?
"Criminal Minds," but I can’t watch it at night. It’s a little too scary.
4. If you could be a professional basketball player, what would be your number?
Five has always been my basketball number growing up, and that is my favorite number. That was my father’s number when he played sports, so I took that number during my freshman year of high school and stuck with it. In a way, it is to feel closer to my dad, but also it just became a number I really enjoy.
There’s five to a team, five people to build that community. It’s just a significant number.
5. What is the key to avoiding long wait lines at campus restaurants?
If you see a huge line, it’s probably not worth it. I would say try to eat a little earlier or later than everyone else, especially if you have a break between classes. Always have a backup plan because sometimes the line you thought would be shorter is somehow even longer.
6. You were valedictorian in high school. What is your best study tip?
Definitely take long breaks. I am not a person that can just study for hours. Sometimes, I even study with a show on. I need the background noise. I always have to have sound.
7. What is the best place to live on campus?
I would say North Rim Apartments. For one, it has dishwashers. But overall, it just feels more homey. The newer apartments kind of feel like you are in a hotel with the long hallways and the layout. North Rim is more modern. It feels like you are actually home, the way the kitchen is set up. I love it because it makes me feel like I am in a home.
8. You’ve completed the Young Athena program, you work as a program development specialist for Honors and now you are the director of the Community and Belonging Committee. What is it about Ingram Honors that encourages you to stay involved with the college?
The biggest thing is the people and the community. Every experience I’ve had in Honors has introduced me to new people and given me a different opportunity to grow. Young Athena helped me step outside of my comfort zone, being a program development specialist has allowed me to contribute behind the scenes, and now being the director gives me the opportunity to create that same sense of community for other students.
I want to be someone who helps make Honors a place where other students feel like they belong, too. Growing up as the oldest daughter of five in a single-mother household, I’ve always had a strong sense of responsibility -- of looking out for the people around me. That has carried over into the way I lead and approach community. That’s what has made me want to stay involved.
9. As a senior, what advice would you give to freshmen starting at GCU?
Get involved and don’t be afraid to try things, even if you’re nervous. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had at GCU came from me saying yes to something I almost talked myself out of doing. You’re only going to get this experience once, so don’t spend four years or even three wishing you had done more. I think the biggest part of the Lope experience is actually allowing yourself to experience it.
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
***
Related content:
GCU News: Get to know Honors' Student Advisory Council academic excellence committee director
GCU News: Get to know Honors' Student Advisory Council service committee director
GCU News: Get to know Honors' Student Advisory Council co-director
GCU News:
