Honors College

Another successful year for GCU’s National Society of Collegiate Scholars chapter did not go unnoticed by the prestigious honors society. Honors College Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli and Program Manager Anya Cofrancesco were named NSCS’s Chapter Co-Advisor Team of the Year. With nearly 7,000 members, GCU’s chapter is the largest in the country.

If you would have told Dr. Breanna Naegeli, when she first started working for the Honors College, that less than a decade later that she would be named the dean of the college, she never would have believed it. Monday afternoon, after 3 1/2 years as the college’s associate dean, Naegeli officially was named Dean during the Spring Faculty Conference. “The timing feels right, and it feels great to step into that dean role now that there is more experience under my belt and a growing vision ready to execute upon,” she said.

For the first time, the presentations at Monday’s Learning Community and Research Symposium were from five different colleges. Each one highlighted students’ heart for service and their desire to make their communities better — exactly the vision GCU President Brian Mueller has. “Brian talks so well about the vision of the University, but also the five-point plan and what we’re doing in the community,” Provost Dr. Hank Radda told the audience in his closing remarks at the event. “I don’t think you could have better representation of that occurring in a very real way.”

It was an action-packed weekend for the Honors College and its students. Its annual Next Generation Leadership Conference, “Serve with your Story,” was organized by students for students and provided attendees with the opportunity to learn from and network with industry professionals from a variety of fields. Speakers shared their individual stories and journeys with students, all while emphasizing the importance of serving others. “I really do feel like GCU attracts talented and mission-oriented students,” said Ryan Corry, Chief Strategy Officer for St. Vincent de Paul.

A group of 19 Honors College students devoted their spring break to serving the community in Baja, Mexico and helped with door-to-door house visits, community outreach, medical assessments, health education and ministry. But they felt the benefits even more. “We’re theoretically helping this community, but really we’re the ones getting help from this,” senior Chloe Campbell said.

Jerry Colangelo never tires of sharing what he has learned over his career. Honors College students found that out this week in a question-and-answer session with the Arizona business icon, who emphasized prioritizing your faith, staying true to your roots and not being afraid to go for your dreams. “It’s very important to know successful Christians,” said one of the students, Chiti Nkhuwa. “… It was really nice to hear Mr. Colangelo speak so profoundly about his identity in Christ and how that contributed positively to his upward trajectory.”

Integrity is a key element in every student’s academic journey and one that Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli hopes to highlight during the inaugural Integrity Week. Workshops, information sessions and guest speakers have helped bring forward the message of acting with integrity in all aspects life. “I feel like this is a major step up from anything we’ve done previously,” Naegeli said.

The Honors College has begun two major programs that help students network and gain skills that will positively impact their future: the Pre-Health Medical and Graduate School Preparation Program and the new Young Athena: Valley of the Sun Leadership Program. One will help prepare students for the medical school and graduate school application process, while the other will help infuse women with leadership skills. “These are the types of programs that really give our GCU students that competitive edge as they enter the workforce,” Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli said.

Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli and her team have created a third advisory board, the Alumni Board, to connect undergraduate students with the knowledgeable advice of graduates. Their feedback will help the college develop new programs and events for existing students and prepare for graduate school and careers. “Service, mentorship and giving back in support of the next generation of graduates is a concept deeply interwoven throughout the fabric of GCU’s community,” Naegeli said. “Our alumni board is an exemplary representation of that – they are always seeking new opportunities to engage and support the up-and-coming students of the GCU Honors College.”

Honors College Associate Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli recently connected GCU’s forensic psychology students to her younger sister, 2018 psychology graduate Bianca Boling. Students had the opportunity to ask Boling, a doctoral student at Midwestern University, the ins and outs of the field. “I think these opportunities for current Honors students to engage with, and seek mentorship and insight, from alumni currently the field is invaluable,” Naegeli said. “It is abundantly evident that the students appreciate the opportunity to form this relationship and to ask questions. It helps to complement what they hear in the classroom setting from faculty and staff as well.”