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CANYON CORRIDOR CONNECTION
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Educat ion
Grand Canyon University’s Thunder Vision is an
elementary campus visitation program aimed at
giving 3rd-8th grade students an opportunity to
experience what a college community is all about.
Visiting students get to see firsthand the unique
features that make up a college campus, interact
with current GCU students and learn how they can
become college ready to make college a reality in their future.
Our program is about planting the seed of pursing a college
education early in one’s life. What we really want is for all children to
be able to dream big, to think of themselves in a career and to envision
themselves on a successful pathway to being a college student. We want
them to know that they can accomplish anything they set their minds
to no matter what their life circumstance may be.
For 3
rd
and 4
th
graders, our focus is College Knowledge. What is college
and why do students go to college? What it is like to be a college student?
For 5
th
and 6
th
graders, our focus is College and Careers. What you
want to be in the future can determine where you go to college.
For 7
th
and 8
th
graders, our focus is College is in Your Future: Are
You College Ready? We use this time to share that high school is a time
to focus on good grades, get involved in a club/organization or team
sport, read to build vocabulary and give back to the community.
Nearly 300 young students a month leave our program with
transformed perceptions about higher education from “I didn’t want to
go to college,” to “now I do.”
Literacy and the importance of reading can’t be stressed enough.
Teachers and students are invited to participate in Lopes for Literacy
reading incentive upon their return to the classroom. When students
successfully reach their personal reading goal, they are awarded
a Purple Pass, which will entitle them to return to our campus
with their family to attend an Ethington Theatre performance or
Lopes basketball game in GCU Arena.
Of course one of the highlights for each campus visit, is an
appearance from our mascot, Thunder. Thunder always brings
fun, smiles and laughter as he leads the students through various
dance steps on the quad lawn.
“This was the best field trip ever,” or “I wish we could invent
a time machine and go to college today!” are just a couple of the
heartfelt quotes we hear from students happy that they were able
to visit GCU!
“Lopes Up!” between the smiles and thank you’s let us know that
we were successful in planting the seed within our young visitors to
dream big!
Thunder Vision was recently named as one of the recipients of
the AZ School Public Relations ASPRA Awards!
For more information, contact GCU’s Strategic Educational
Alliances Director Kathryn Scott at 602-639-7837
Thunder Vision is Making a Difference in Arizona!