Army

Isaac Duh Nei Lian immigrated to the United States from Burma when he was just 11 years old and is now headed for infantry training as an officer in the Army. He was among nine cadets appointed to lead enlisted personnel as second lieutenants during the University’s Army ROTC Thunder Battalion Commissioning Ceremony on Friday. “This is my privilege to give back to the country,” he said.

Hayley Troyer of Indiana threw a grenade on campus this weekend but don’t worry. It wasn’t live ammunition. It was a chance to get a feel for the training involved in the joining the military and part of GCU ROTC Day on Saturday, when prospective students on a Discover GCU weekend for the first time were led through fitness tests and drills with the ROTC Army ROTC to learn about the program. Troyer wants to join up, even with crisis looming across the globe. “I really want to do something that will make a difference,” she said.

  By Ryan Kryska GCU News Bureau Two thousand miles separate Delores McLaughlin from her sons, Brandon and Joshua Williams. But for the past few years, Grand Canyon University’s online schooling has made them feel much closer. The mother from North Carolina and her sons out west graduated days apart from each other in April. McLaughlin received a doctorate of education in Organizational Leadership. Brandon Williams, 38, living in Las Vegas, earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Joshua Williams, 30, earned a bachelor’s degree in Justice Studies. “It was one of those rare events,” said Joshua Williams, who has been working as an Army recruiter in Gilbert, Ariz. “I know this journey is not over yet. But to have my brother and mother alongside me, not too many people can say they’ve done that.” The brothers are both on active duty in the Army. They grew up in North Carolina, with their father also serving in the military. Brandon Williams, the oldest of four siblings, said he became the first college graduate in his immediate family in 2002, when he earned his bachelor’s degree. But ever since then, McLaughlin has been the one to carry the family’s educational […]