GCU TODAY • 1 1
players at a park four years ago,” he said.
“They’re out there learning the game, and
then a couple of years later I see them out
there playing a real competitive game against
an Arizona State or somebody like that, and it
feels real good to watch.”
How does someone sign up to play? Simple —
go on the website
), find the
sport and call the coach, whose phone number
is listed there. You need to have some ability, of
course, but the opportunities are available.
Health care, anatomy help
Among the University’s most established and
successful clubs is AzHOSA, which primarily
caters to pre-med, pre-dentistry and physical
therapy students. “Anything that falls under
the health umbrella,” said senior Caitlyn
Garmer, the club’s vice president.
With almost 400 members, it’s one of the
most active HOSA chapters in the country. Its
main goal is to get members ready for graduate
school by offering tips on resumé, interview
and exam preparation and helping them gain
the community-service hours they need. There
also are two major HOSA competitions every
year, and in the most recent one the GCU
chapter brought home 12 gold medals from the
State Leadership Conference in Tucson, Ariz.
“It’s a great opportunity. You’re able to meet
other people in your major and get involved
and get a friend group,” said Garmer, who
met her future roommate through AzHOSA.
“Especially coming in as a freshman, you
come in not knowing many people. The people
running the meetings have been in your
situation before. They’re willing to help you
make friends and learn what you need to do.”
The club is big on community-service
projects, such as helping with the Leukemia
and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk.
But the focus is the meetings, which cover
such topics as nutrition, the Affordable Care
Act and how to do a suture.
And here’s an example of how clubs interact.
The suturing demonstration was overseen
by the Anatomy Club, which was formed last
October and already has 70 members. It is
designed to provide peer mentors and tutors
for students in anatomy- and science-related
classes and also to work on projects (yes, one of
them is dissection training).
But it’s for anyone, said its president,
Thomas Varkey, “as long as they bring
something to the table and we can do
something to help them, too.” For example,
one Christian studies major joined the club
because she wanted to see how God put the
body together.
Help for those who need it
There also is a club for healing a troubled
mind. To Write Love on Her Arms is a national
nonprofit that aims to help people struggling
with addiction and depression, and Hanna
Klinefelter decided to create a GCU chapter last
fall when she sent out a tweet that she planned
to light a candle for suicide prevention and
asked the Twitterverse if anyone was interested
in joining her. The response was overwhelming.
Klinefelter was so moved because, two
years ago, one of her best friends committed
suicide. Klinefelter’s response was to not only
transfer from North Dakota State University,
near her home in Detroit Lakes, Minn.,
to GCU; she also changed her major from
English education to counseling with an
emphasis on substance abuse and addictions.
But her new club’s meetings are hardly a
downer. Sure, the group is there to support
those who need it, but it includes people of
all types.
“We have people who are just happy and
want to bring joy to people,” she said. “They
have a lot of love to give, and they use our club
to express that to people who need the love. It
really makes for a good dynamic.”
Such is the dynamic of club life across the
GCU campus. It’s vital.
“Student engagement is the golden thread
that will hold your academic experience
together and get you across the finish line
in a way that will be transformational,” said
Pastor Tim Griffin, GCU’s dean of students.
And, come August, a whole new set of
students will have a chance to experience
what the transformation is all about. For
the first time, Welcome Week will include
a special pep rally led by the Havocs, and
keeping the spirit-filled athletic success going
will be a focus.
“It’s ultimately in the freshmen’s hands to
make it even bigger,” Hunsaker said. “The
momentum we have going into next year is
huge, and the freshmen are going to be a huge
part of that.”
They no doubt will notice the intimacy of
the campus, but it’s up to them to be included.
It could be the difference between feeling lost
and finding their proper destination.
The men's lacrosse team, coached by Manny Rapkin (center), celebrates its national title last season.
VIDEO
See how another new club, CrossFit, gets students in shape on
Wednesday nights in this video at
