CAS

GCU celebrated the topping out of the new four story College of Arts and Sciences building Tuesday morning under a beautiful sunny sky. “It’s been fun to watch the progress,” said CAS Dean Mark Wooden. “When they first started on it, I was impressed by the footprint. Now, I am amazed by its shadow.”

GCU’s recent growth as an institution was on display Friday for a record number of high school students from across Arizona at the annual Health Sciences and Nursing Day. An estimated 2,500 students — an increase of 1,000 over 2010 — visited campus, attending a number of breakout sessions and touring points of interest such as the cadaver and simulation labs. About 60 high schools were represented, from as far as Prescott, Bisbee, Tucson and Nogales. Dr. Cheryl Roat, associate dean for the College of Nursing, had a standing-room-only audience for her early morning talk on “The Top 10 Reasons to Be a Nurse.”

Sophomore pre-med major Jessica Barajas soaks up the opportunities to serve. After a car accident has kept her in and out of the hospital for most of this semester, she has worked hard to return to campus and dive back into service. She coordinated an upcoming blood drive with teh American Red Cross. “As a future physician, I now know what it feels like to be a patient,” she says. “I know that feeling of being afraid and overwhelmed. the experience gave me more compassion.”

The Office of Career Services is proud to present its student worker of the month – Julie Sage. Sage is a senior biology major working in the GCU Fleming Library. She transferred to GCU from the University of Florida two years ago and started working in the Library right away. “I get to help students with research issues, answer reference questions and more,” says Sage. “Because I help students with research a lot, it has helped me in my own studies. It’s been a great help in preparing for medical research.”

Ground was broken Tuesday on the four-story College of Arts and Sciences classroom building, scheduled to be completed by Aug. 1. The building was designed by the Phoenix architectural firm of Orcutt Winslow and will be built by Pono Construction of Glendale. Construction will begin in a week. “This building will represent the mind, body and spirit of everything we do on campus,” CAS Dean Mark Wooden told those assembled for a brief ceremony. “It will be the academic heart of this University.”

In the blink of an eye, Dr. Mark Wooden signed on for one of the busiest summers of his life. Barely two weeks before convocations and Commencement, GCU announced that it would merge the colleges of Liberal Arts and Health Sciences effective May 9 and that Wooden, the dean of Health Sciences, would become dean of a new College of Arts and Sciences.

A tour of Israel involves more than just taking in the scenery, Dr. Michael Baird says. In fact, the scenery isn’t even the best part.

It’s the definition of happiness rather than its pursuit that makes all the difference, GCU alumnus Michael Kary told Wednesday morning’s College of Liberal Arts convocation in his keynote speech. “Happiness comes from work that lines up with your purpose and from finding people to do that work with,” Kary said.

GCU College of Liberal Arts instructor Dr. James Beggs is know for his commitment to campus, as well as his dope rhymes. Watch as he sings praises of Grand Canyon’s student Recreation Center and the team led by Chuck Howard.

Now the truth can be told about Santa Claus: He likes Christmas, yes, but what he really loves are community-service hours. That much was clear on Saturday at a PetSmart store in north Scottsdale as GCU freshman Isaac Dominguez — in full St. Nick costume — posed for photos all afternoon with pets. He did a second shift on Sunday.