Grand Canyon University

Dr. Kimberly LaPrade retired as Dean of GCU’s College of Education Monday after leading it through a decade of growth, innovation and national accreditation. Now, she and husband Larry are going to sail the world for six years. Her thoughts, as always, were with her colleagues as she departed: “It’s been more than a job because of all of you.”

Dr. Julia Langdal-Sittu was named the new psychology department chair at GCU at any interesting time to study human behavior, considering the challenges of the past year. As such, she hopes to emphasize empathy and lead her department to more volunteer opportunities. “That is the cornerstone of our field — understanding, empathy and compassion for the people we work with. And that means we look at everyone and try to understand where they are coming from as people,” she said.

The Master of Education in School Counseling program’s fivefold increase in enrollment over two years in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences includes its first cohort of students, which is wrapping up the program in August. Cherrise Smith and Kristie Tacadina saw the anxiety in students during COVID and wanted to help. They’ve already secured jobs. “We are proud of them paving the way,” said Dr. Kimberly Grigg, Program Chair of School Counseling. “They are pioneers of our program.”

Imani Steward watched enough cop and detective shows on TV to think it might be a cool job. But after learning about the law in her Justice Studies program and becoming a student worker in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the April graduate found she could help people in her new role as a court clerk. “Even though we are not on the street, we do so much just to make sure someone doesn’t break the law again,” she said.

Sun, sand and surf are all good, but Paige Petrine is challenging herself this summer in a different way. The Paradise Valley High School senior was furiously jotting down observations from her busy morning in the Biomedical Device Design and Protyping Lab, where GCU Biomedical Professor Dr. Jeff La Belle innovates, designs and protypes medical technologies. She is one of more than a dozen high school students who are part of the inaugural High School STEM Internship Program, developed by K12 Educational Development. They spend eight hours most days researching in various fields, from anatomy to biomedical engineering, software development and health and nutrition. They also sit in on professional development sessions organized by the Honors College. Said Petrine, “The lab is my happy place.”

Scott Wade was a lawyer but fell in love with teaching four years ago and is in the classroom under an emergency certification. Lisa Baird has taught off and on for 20 years, also without being certified. They are among the first 14 teacher candidates who graduated recently from the Canyon L.E.A.P. to Teach program, which offers an alternative pathway to licensure during a time of severe teacher shortage. “The ultimate goal is to get more certified teachers into Arizona classrooms,” said Carol Lippert, Executive Director of K12 Outreach and Education Program Development.

It never hurts to have connections to land a job interview. GCU graduate Kelsey Lamphier found that out recently when she landed a job in the Scottsdale City Manager’s Office. One of her interviewers is on a GCU advisory board for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She got the job. Helping students connect to jobs and internships in just one of the roles of the four CHSS advisory boards that bring in industry professionals to also help keep up with changes in the field.

Kellie Lotshaw always thought she’d be working on the sidelines of a football field or with athletes in some other collision or action sport. But she’s stepping up in a different way. As an injury prevention specialist at Amazon’s new robotics fulfillment center in Goodyear, the 2015 athletic training graduate is one of only 3% of board-certified athletic trainers who work in the corporate or industrial setting.

On her own 3D printer at home in Florence, Arizona, GCU robotics and engineering major Kylee Rodgers likes to print keychains and other trinkets. But 3D printing is a whole new ballgame on her current project — helping build the first Habitat for Humanity 3D-printed house. “I saw news articles a couple of years ago about 3D-printed houses, but they were just tiny. It hasn’t been ANYTHING like this. … It’s really cool,” said Kylee, who is volunteering alongside her father, Dominic, the Habitat volunteer team lead on the Tempe project.

Dr. Ana York’s life has been anything but easy. From getting married when she was 14 and having her first child at 15 to having to work long hours while also going to school, York has faced a number of obstacles that could have kept her from obtaining her doctorate. But in the end, her drive and love of education persevered. “I’m very grateful because throughout the process and all of those highs and lows and frustrations, I always saw the hand of God,” she said.