12 / 32
familiar faces and wave at spectators to join.
A student chats with her friend as they watch from a table just a few
feet away. A friend walks by, grins and holds out a hand. “Who’s going to
be my dance partner?” he asks.
It’s an hour of free salsa and bachata dance lessons coached by a
local professional dance couple. The instructors stand over a stage deck
to teach students the basic steps of Latin dancing. It’s a night of social
dancing that brings together all levels of dance lovers and connects
people from all over campus.
On another night, students gather on the Promenade for Java Jam, a
coffee-house-like setting filled with the sounds of funky jazz, dazzling
lights, coffee, donuts and passionate musicians.
Frank Ngoga says it’s a great way to unwind after a long day. He likes
how welcoming the students are.
There is a small but eye-catching stage with a backdrop and
pumpkins that add a touch of fall. Students quickly fill the rows of
chairs. Others line up for their GCBC coffee. And still others watch
from the tables outside the Student Union.
Indie singer Scot Madison Quiggle, a junior at GCU, sings solo and
plays her mandolin. Even though the Phoenix native’s parents live a few
minutes away from the campus, Quiggle said GCU is the perfect home
away from home.
“Here, it really is a family,” she said. “So many people that I meet are
encouraging, and the good thing is that when we put on events like this
it’s cool to see the students rally around local artists.”
Ethington Theatre, with plays, dance recitals and other performances,
and GCU Arena, with a variety of concerts and shows, also offer plenty
of quality entertainment. And, of course, GCU sporting events serve as
a rallying point that attract more devoted fans — and students — with
each passing year.
This year there are 1,500 students in the Havocs, a jump of 500 from
2015-16, adding even more noise, energy and purple-painted zaniness to
what SB Nation has called “the biggest party in college basketball.”
“The team is growing, the school is growing, and the students are
creating a kind of pride in where they go to school,” said Abigail Ploeser,
marketing manager and liaison for Havocs with Heart, the group’s
community-outreach arm.
Students who want to play sports but aren’t on one of GCU’s 21
Division I teams have plenty of other options. There are 30 club teams at
the University, and 11 intramural sports also are available.
As the University has grown, so have the places to play. The many
basketball courts (both indoor and outdoor) and artificial-turf fields are
full well into the evening as students unwind from classes and homework.
“Everyone is on an IM team sometime,” said Michael Egeberg, who
has helped manage the program the last two years. “It’s something
people see or hear about and want to be a part of. You go to class, work,
homework, sports, repeat.
“I knew at GCU I could play a couple sports. I never thought it’d be
this big.”
1 2 • GCU MAGAZ I NE
LOPEVILLE
RISING
Athletics are an important part of the campus culture, but other students
have plenty of options to play sports themselves.