When new students arrive on campus, they get a hero’s welcome.

Story by Rick Vacek
Photos by Darryl Webb
GCU News Bureau

To many at Grand Canyon University, it is the best week of the year on campus.

The line of volunteers is as long as the line of cars. This year, more than 1,600 volunteers have signed up.

They like seeing the residence halls and walkways come alive with the return of students and take even more joy out of watching parent after parent fight back tears as they see the roaring reception their son or daughter gets just for showing up.

But this year, Welcome Week — scheduled for Aug. 22-28 — is going to be even more welcoming. If that’s possible.

GCU’s annual rite of passage, which turns many an apprehensive teenager into a feeling-right-at-home college student, will include still more ways for even the most introverted freshman to quickly feel connected.

Several new programs are planned, all with the aim of enhancing the community atmosphere on campus even more and easing the college transition for freshmen. There will be tons of activities and some extremely forward-thinking measures designed to prevent any semblance of boredom.

Students can check the Welcome Week app to find out everything they need to know, and you can click here for the Welcome Week website. The schedule of the week’s highlights is listed below.

Foremost among the new programs is the First 72 Experience, conceived by Residence Life and Spiritual Life. Previous Welcome Weeks had plenty of activities for freshmen, but the new schedule will fill in any possible down times and, through even more socials and orientations, will give them even more chances to turn strangers into new friends.

“The first three days on a college campus are some of the most formative days that a student has and are the biggest chance to solidify their commitment to the university,” said Charity Norman, new student and family programs manager.

“We’re very excited about it. We think it will have a big impact on retention rates because it will help to solidify that commitment early on.”

Students have a ball at Canyon Cooldown.

Each freshman residence hall will have its own Find Your Classroom Tour and Campus Dining Tour by day and After Dark Options by night. There also will be more socials than ever this year, divided into separate events for students who are from out of state or another country, are commuters or transfers, or are the first in their family to attend college.

The first two nights of the week will feature holdover events for everyone on campus.

Canyon Cooldown, scheduled for Monday night, will be bigger than ever in its new home at The Grove residence halls. It’s a pool party completed with shaved ice, blowup slides and a zipline.

Tuesday features the always moving New Student Worship in the Arena, followed by the Ignite ceremony on the Quad lawn, where one lit candle turns into thousands.

But the three nights after that, plus all day Saturday, will be all new:

The Ignite ceremony is always a heartwarming scene.

WEDNESDAY: Kickstart, which was soft-launched last semester, brings together a randomly chosen group of freshmen with an orange-hatted leader who will do ice-breakers, find out more about the students and help them learn how to use Loud Cloud, understand more about the campus and take care of required tasks, such as getting a parking pass.

Freshmen will continue to be part of their Kickstart group until they no longer feel that it’s necessary (they still will have Resident Advisers and Life Leaders).

“It’s especially beneficial for commuter students because they don’t have as much of a natural connection to campus,” Norman said.

THURSDAY: Lope-A-Palooza, organized by the Havocs student cheering section and the Canyon Activities Board, will show freshmen what it’s like to be a Lope — the cheers at sports events, the fight song, big events coming up, etc.

“It will have a Midnight Madness feel,” said Norman, referring to the annual mid-October celebration that kicks off basketball practice.

GCU Stadium is set to open on Friday, Aug. 26, when the men’s soccer team will play Central Florida.

FRIDAY: GCU Stadium hosts its first major event, a men’s soccer match against Central Florida. The festivities begin with the March to the Match, in which students gather behind Thunder, GCU’s beloved mascot, and the Thundering Heard Pep Band on Lopes Way and then march through campus to the stadium.

The match will be a sold-out cacophony of sound and fury in the stadium, which features grass berms on three sides and figures to set a standard for the what atmosphere at a college soccer match should look and sound like.

SATURDAY: This is the coolest event of all. For the first time, a very different type of scavenger hunt called The Ultimate LopeVenture will keep students busy for as long as they’d like (up to 12 hours).

The more they do, the better their chances of winning some great prizes, such as a GoPro, new headphones or new speakers. It’s the brainchild of Chad Schlundt, outdoor recreation coordinator, and here’s how it works.

Teams of 3-6 students are given a huge checklist of things to do, each with a point value. They could be landmarks or tasks on campus, they could be somewhere in the Valley, they even could be somewhere in the state. The more distant or difficult the task, the greater the point value.

While volunteers give arriving students a lift, Thunder just scoots.

But it’s not as simple as just finding something. One task, for example, could be to perform an act of kindness for a homeless person and post a photo on social media.

“We’re hoping it becomes a new GCU tradition,” Norman said. “This one is really different because it’s not something that’s programmed for you. You get the list in advance and you don’t have time to do it all, so you have to choose which ones you’re going to do. It helps to build that team community right away.

“It will help students discover what’s on campus but also what’s here in this new place that they’re calling home.”

As if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a Saturday night concert at the Arena featuring Christian rapper Lecrae, and the women’s soccer team’s home opener is Sunday afternoon against UTEP.

All of those activities will make it yet again a week to remember, but it all starts with that crazy Express Move-In scene each morning as teams from among the 1,600 volunteers, both students and staff, see how fast they can get each vehicle unloaded. It usually doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes per car.

There’s time for fun — and selfies — between trips up the stairs.

“The parents are shocked by the onslaught, the swarm of purple on their vehicle, and then how fast all the stuff disappears,” said Dr. Randy Gibb, dean of the Colangelo College of Business and a regular volunteer. “It’s like, ‘That’s it? You mean we can go? You don’t need us around?’

“It’s also fun to hear the dialogue of the upper-class GCU students who are helping the freshmen, to see how welcoming and inviting they are. It’s just that sense of community that is really special here at GCU — just to hear it.”

It will continue to be heard all week. This is more than just a big welcome, it’s a big celebration — and it’s ready to come alive again.

● Here’s a video of what Welcome Week was like last year.

MONDAY

7-9 a.m. — Express Move-In for Willow Hall, Canyon Hall

9:30-11:30 a.m. — Express Move-In for Acacia Hall

8 p.m. — Canyon Cooldown, Grove lawn

TUESDAY

7-9 a.m. — Express Move-In for Juniper Hall, Prescott Hall

9:30-11:30 a.m. — Express Move-In for Ironwood Hall

3-4 p.m. — First in the Family Social, Thunderground

3-4 p.m. — Out-of-state Student Social, Lopes Performance Center

8-9 p.m. — New Student Worship, Arena

9-9:15 p.m. — Ignite, Quad

WEDNESDAY

7-9 a.m. — Express Move-In for Camelback Hall, Chaparral Hall

9:30-11:30 a.m. — Express Move-In for Roadrunner Apartments

3-4 p.m. — Multicultural Student Social, Thunderground

3-4 p.m. — First in the Family Social, Lopes Performance Center

8 p.m. — Meet Your Kickstart Group, Arena

8:30 p.m. — Kickstart Group Event, Quad and Grove lawn

THURSDAY

7-9 a.m. — Express Move-In for Saguaro Hall and North Rim Apartments

9:30-11 a.m. — Express Move-In for Roadrunner Apartments

11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Honors College Kick-Off, Arena

3-4 p.m. — Multicultural Student Social, Thunderground

3-4 p.m. — Transfer Student Social, Lopes Performance Center

7-8 p.m. — Commuter Student Social, Commuter Lounge

7:45 p.m. — Lope-A-Palooza, Arena

FRIDAY

7-9 a.m. — Express Move-In for Sedona Hall and Encanto Apartments

9:30-11:30 a.m. — Express Move-In for Agave and Papago Apartments

Noon-2 p.m. — Student Worker Job Fair, Arena

3-4 p.m. — Out-of-state Student Social, Thunderground

5-9 p.m. — Dodgeball tournament, Lopes Performance Center and Antelope Gym

5-9 p.m. — Sand volleyball tournament, outdoor courts south of Antelope Gym

6:30 p.m. — March to the Match, Lopes Way

7 p.m. — Men’s soccer vs. Central Florida, GCU Stadium

9:30 p.m. — Night at the Movies, Arena

SATURDAY

8 a.m.-noon — Returning Student Self Move-In (by appointment)

7 a.m.-7 p.m. — The Ultimate LopeVenture, Antelope Gym

8 p.m. — Lecrae concert, Arena

SUNDAY

1 p.m. — Women’s soccer vs. UTEP, GCU Stadium

Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or rick.vacek@gcu.edu.

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Two of GCBC’s shop managers, Lauren Lentini (left) and Julisa Smith, stand by the donut case at the brand new coffee shop.

Story and photos by Laurie Merrill and Jeannette Cruz
GCU News Bureau

Two grand new businesses opened their doors for business Monday morning at Grand Canyon University — the new student-run and managed Grand Canyon Beverage Company (GCBC) and the Canyon 49 Grill.

GCBC sells coffee, tea, donuts and other tasty treats on the second floor of the Student Union on the main campus, while the Canyon 49 Grill, which is open to the public, serves diners in its location in front of the Grand Canyon University Hotel at 27th Avenue and Camelback Road.

Kevin Walton, executive chef of the Canyon 49 Grill.

The Grill was a compelling scene Monday morning as hotel manager Brett Cortright, executive chef Kevin Walton and the restaurant staff added their finishing touches before the it opened.

“I’m very adamant about fresh, clean and vibrant colors,” Cortright said.

The new restaurant features a wide choice of teas and coffee, a grab-‘n’-go fridge, a full bar, lounge area, custom purple couches, art from the College of Fine Arts and Production and an open kitchen — which Walton praises most.

“If I see people enjoying their food and I see the first smile, that’s it,” he said.

Cortright poured his excitement over the new restaurant and could not help but boast about the Milkshake of the Day — Dr. Pepper Chai.

“It’s not always going to be that crazy, but it’ll be fun,” he said.

Students Zach Broussely, left, and Erica Limstrom give GCBC a thumbs-up.

For GCBC, the Monday opening was a “soft launch,” with most menu offerings available to students, faculty and staff. The official opening — complete with the full gamut of beverages and treats and the finished renovation of the spacious venue — will be later this month.

“I’m excited and I want to let everyone know that we want to break a record,” said Julisa Smith, one of four recent GCU alumni who are managing the venue. “Let’s make this the largest coffee shop in Arizona.”

Smith, Parker Shipe and Lauren Lentini are the shop managers, and Brennan Williams is the general manager. They have hired a host of student workers to run the new business. A second GCBC will open in the Roadrunner Apartments, just east of the intramural field, and future off-campus franchises are possible.

Monday’s menu included Stampede Drip Coffee, a case filled with colorful treats from Fractured Prune Doughnuts, teas in flavors such as Berry Hibiscus and Summer Peach, cold-brew coffee and a potpourri of other beverages.

Junior Erica Limstrom and sophomore Zach Broussely sat in new, cattle-hide patterned chairs in the eatery, sipping icy beverages as they chatted.

Restaurant employees prep food for the big first day.

“I got a caramel latte with an extra shot of espresso,” Limstrom said. “It’s great! The flavor is good and it’s not overly sweet.”

Broussely opted for an iced macchiato. “I’ve had other macchiatos, and this one is right up there,” he said. Plus, he noted, you can’t beat the convenience.

GCBC, one of three new student-operated businesses the University is launching, will be followed by a T-shirt and merchandise company this fall and a clothing and supply exchange next year.

A purple banner proclaims the opening of the “run by students, for business” beverage spot.

“Come support your fellow graduates,” Shipe said.

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu. 

Contact Jeannette Cruz at (602) 639-6631 or jeannette.cruz@gcu.edu.

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By Karen Fernau
GCU News Bureau

Aysha Bell, a Career Services adviser at Grand Canyon University, knows the difference between working for a paycheck and doing something you’re passionate about.

She has experienced both.

Aysha Bell

“I bumped around for a long time before I found my love of career guidance and vocational coaching. In 2007 I began working with a company doing re-employment workshops and knew right away I had found my passion,” Bell said.

Four years ago, that passion led her to GCU and helping students discover and map out careers. This year, nearly nine years of work in the field culminated in her first book, one that helps others find the passion in their career more quickly than the 15 years it took to find hers.

“When you seek positions for the purpose of a paycheck and you really have no fulfillment, you are, in essence, broke,” she writes in “I.D.entifying Your I.D.eal Career,” available on Amazon.

Bell recently published the 22-page paperback with the blessing of Jacqueline Smith, executive director of GCU’s Career Services.

Smith calls the book “full of great information. Step-by-step process with lots of activities built in. When you finish the steps, you will have a career plan in place.”

“I.D.entifying Your I.D.eal Career” is more workbook than textbook. Readers begin the book by signing a commitment, a promise to finish the seven steps. Bell also recommends recruiting an accountability partner to help stay on track.

Steps include helping identify careers and motivations. For example, one activity asks, “I daydream about … I would love to … I want my children and grandchildren to know that I …”

Other steps involve defining strengths, investigating careers, building connections, setting goals and creating a plan to achieve them.

Bell, who holds a master’s degree from GCU in Christian Studies, recommends against rushing through the steps.

“Go through book slowly, carefully and have a partner to hold you accountable,” she said.

The incremental steps are aimed to help those entering the job market or making mid-career changes.

Bell wrote the book in 2007, the same year she obtained her life coach certification from Abundant Life Christian College, but then put it aside.

This year, she dusted it off and published the book in July in cooperation with I.D.entity, a Phoenix-based start-up that specializes in career coaching, personal development and spiritual growth.

Bell, who lives in Phoenix with her husband and two daughters, plans on writing additional books on topics such as how to network and interview.

“I’m writing so that others don’t have to be as lost as I was,” said Bell, who got a bachelor’s degree in communications from Indiana State University in 1999. “My book is probably more for high school and young college students outside of GCU because Career Services has lots of resources to help our students.”

Smith predicts Bell will accomplish her goal.

“I knew the day I interviewed Aysha I wanted her on my team,” said Smith, who hired Bell three years ago. “Her experience and passion to help students find their purpose is second to none. She works with purpose and has an incredible bright future.

“We are blessed to have Aysha at GCU.”

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

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By Jeannette Cruz
GCU News Bureau

Baseball field

New construction projects in Grand Canyon University’s $1 billion expansion continue to transform the campus, and GCU athletes and visitors alike will benefit from the 10 new state-of-the-art sports facilities scheduled to be completed within the next two years.

The “GCU 10 in 2” initiative begins Aug. 26 with the opening of 3,000-seat GCU Stadium, which will host GCU athletics and University events.

“This is a historic time for our athletic program as we enter the final year of our four-year transition period to Division I athletics,” said Mike Vaught, vice president of athletics. “We want to be Top 25 in everything that we do, and these incredible facilities will help us continue to compete at the highest level and strive for excellence both academically and ethically. I can’t think of another university in the country that has embarked on such an ambitious construction project in such a short time frame, but that’s how we do things at GCU.”

Men’s soccer coach Schellas Hyndman, who ranks sixth in NCAA history in men’s soccer victories, said GCU Stadium will be “one of the best fields in collegiate soccer.” The stadium, which sits on the west end of campus, has natural grass in addition to 10-foot berms on three sides, bringing the capacity to 6,000.

Softball field

Vaught said GCU is focusing on soccer because “Phoenix is a soccer community and we’ve got all the key ingredients for a national contending men and women’s soccer program — support from President Brian Mueller, the only Division I men’s soccer team in the state of Arizona and a Hall of Fame coach.”

The other construction projects are new baseball and softball stadiums, a basketball practice facility, Student-Athlete Development Center, beach volleyball stadium, tennis facility, an equipment room and additions to the GCU Championship Golf Course and the Lopes Performance Center.

• At the far west side of campus, the baseball stadium will be a two-tier project that will increase seating capacity to 3,000. The first level will feature chair-back seats that wrap around the infield, grass berm seating down the first-base side, a team store and concession space. A second level of seating will be added following the 2017 season and be ready for 2018.

  Sand volleyball facility

• The softball stadium, which will seat 1,500, will also be completed in two phases. The field will be pushed farther northeast by February. Chair-back seats, an expanded concourse, new restrooms and concessions, and a press box will be added in advance of the 2018 season.
• The basketball practice facility is being constructed just west of GCU Arena. It will feature a lounge area, meeting spaces, offices and a viewing deck that overlooks practice courts for the men’s and women’s programs. The 24,000-square-foot facility, which is expected to open in January, will give student-athletes a “place to call home,” Vaught said. The main entrance also will house a museum of artifacts from Phoenix sports and business icon Jerry Colangelo, who has strong ties to the university.
• Three new beach volleyball courts with grandstand seating will be ready for the start of the spring 2017 season. Intramural courts also will be built at the facility, located right in the heart of campus between Cypress and Canyon halls.

  Tennis facility

• On the opposite side of campus, east of 30th Drive and between Missouri and Colter, six new tennis courts will return GCU intercollegiate matches to campus. The new courts will be used by the varsity teams, club teams and classes for a new tennis management degree program offered through the Colangelo College of Business. “We are happy to be able to train and compete on campus in front of the student body,” said Gregory Prudhomme, men’s and women’s tennis coach. “I’m sure that the courts will be filled up by students and faculty.”
• In 2015, GCU invested $10 million into a complete renovation of the former Maryvale Golf Course by extending the course and adding a shop, restaurant, offices and a team room for the GCU men’s and women’s golf programs. Future additions to the course include team practice areas featuring a private driving range, two private bunkers and chipping areas.
• The Student-Athlete Development Center is located beneath the stands of GCU Stadium and will assist student athletes with academic resources, computers and a study lounge.

  Basketball practice facility

• The Lopes Performance Center will impact student athletes through the enhancement of fitness training and sports medicine care.
• A new 2,500-square-foot equipment room will serve all 21 NCAA intercollegiate athletic programs.

Such improvements drive recruitment and retention and put the University on track with other top schools in the country, Vaught said.

“From President Mueller all the way down there is an expectation for excellence here, and that’s what we’re striving for every day,” Vaught said.

Lopes fans will be able to follow the progress of the 10 facilities at GCULopes.com or by using the hashtag #GCU10in2 on Twitter.

Contact Jeannette Cruz at (602) 639-6631 or jeannette.cruz@gcu.edu.

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By Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

New courses, more faculty and important twists on the current curriculum are some of the changes in store for College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) students when classes begin Monday, Aug. 29.

New program highlights include:

• A major revision in the Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies
• New Professional Writing programs
• A Bachelor’s of Science degree in Sociology with an Emphasis in Social Work.

Dr. Sherman Elliott, College of Humanities and Social Sciences dean, is excited about the new school year.

The social work degree is attracting a surprising number of enrollees, said Dr. Sherman Elliott, CHSS dean.

“It’s taken off,” Elliott said. “We have double the enrollment we anticipated.”

More than 53 ground students and more than 150 online students had enrolled in the program by early August.

Elliott also is hoping for high enrollment in the new degree programs, a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Professional Writing Emphasis and a Minor in Professional Writing.

These degrees are designed to attract not only communications and English students but any student at GCU, Elliott said.

“Whether a student is going into business, music, theology or more, it makes sense to pick up a minor in professional writing,” Elliott said. “You’ve got to be a good writer in any field today.”

Elliott said he is “extremely proud” of Justice Studies faculty members Kevin Walling and Colonel Stemley for their wholesale revision of the program to reflect the evolving needs of society and its relationship to police.

“The program shifts the nature of policing, focusing on community policing and handling unique populations, such as the mentally ill and minorities,” Elliott said.

The program is a move away from the enforcement/firepower model of policing.

“Our future officers will take psychology and learn to handle conflict resolution and interpersonal-relationship building,” he said. “The program will include police intelligence and analysis, for example — how to use big data for things like crowd control and gangs.”

Also new to CHSS this fall are six new faculty members, three who will teach mathematics and one each to teach English, sociology and communications.

Three are former GCU adjuncts, which reflects Elliott’s preference to promote from within.

“I hire from within because adjunct professors have a chance to prove they are successful with the GCU student body and culture,” Elliott said. “I use adjuncting as a trial.”

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu. 

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Richard Sweet told Colangelo College of Business master’s students that Southwest Airlines is built on servant leadership — and a spirited sense of humor.

By Rick Vacek
GCU News Bureau

The loyalty to Southwest Airlines is no joke.

Consistently ranked as one of the most admired companies in America, Southwest has built its reputation on low fares and a high degree of customer service — plus the announcements that flight attendants turn into standup routines.

Master’s students in the Colangelo College of Business at Grand Canyon University got to hear the punchline Tuesday from Richard Sweet, who has been part of the show for 32 years, most recently as a marketing adviser.

They heard about why Southwest has been able to turn a profit for 43 straight years, according to Sweet, while 58 other airlines have declared Chapter 11 in that same time period. But one thing they didn’t hear, with so much else to talk about, was the story behind the ingenious way the company mixes pleasure with business — its long-running comedy in the cabin.

“There are some guidelines, and sometimes lines get crossed, but you can’t try to dictate that,” Sweet said afterward. “You’ve got to take the bad with the good because you’re empowering people to come up with new stuff.

“As long as I’ve been there and as much as I fly, I still hear new things and I start laughing — and I thought I’d heard them all 25 years ago. It’s amazing how important it is to the brand. Shortly after I started, the FAA said, ‘Wait a minute, what are you guys doing?’ and we said, ‘Wait a minute, people are listening.’”

Consciously capitalistic

Fewer than two months ago, the CCOB dean, Dr. Randy Gibb, had done a presentation on the importance of “Conscious Capitalism,” citing Southwest as one of his examples. So it made sense to have Sweet visit and explain that philosophy from an insider’s perspective.

“Southwest was a conscious-capitalist airline before anyone was conscious about capitalism,” Sweet said. “We were that way before we even had a clue what we were doing.”

When he first started at Southwest, though, the only thing he was conscious of was that he had a lot of baggage — literally. It was standard practice within the company to have new employees do a grunt job, so for six months he loaded and unloaded luggage.

“The purpose,” he said, “was to learn, to understand and to appreciate all that was involved — but also to see if we were committed.”

He soon had far more responsibility, at one point serving as an area marketing manager in Phoenix before moving on to the same role in Los Angeles. He continued to live in Phoenix, however; he simply flew back and forth every day, figuring that the commute was about the same as it would have been had he lived in the outer reaches of L.A., which is about all he could have afforded.

That’s the other thing he stressed to students about Southwest: One way it has kept its fares low is by not letting its salary structure get out of whack. He wasn’t complaining. The company’s 50,000 employees are compensated well, he said, thanks to stock options, bonuses, profit-sharing, great benefits and a progressive culture that, like GCU’s, is built on servant leadership.

The culture no doubt was the main attraction for most of the 371,202 people who applied last year for 6,370 positions. Sweet seemed rather amazed himself when he threw out those figures and shared another interesting tidbit: Candidates are brought in 10 to 15 at a time and monitored from the time they walk in the door to see how well they interact with people.

“If you can’t have fun,” he said, “you don’t fit in at Southwest.”

But that doesn’t mean it’s all fun and games.

“A lot of those 371,000 applicants think it’s enjoyable because they think it’s easy and it doesn’t come with a certain amount of stress and uncertainty and hard work,” he said. “It’s all about operational efficiency, and it’s about commitment.

“We’re famous for turning around planes in 10 minutes, and you don’t turn airplanes fast if you’re not committed. If we’re running late, our people don’t just say, ‘Hey, I’m just going to do my job.’ Instead, it’s, ‘We’d better get back on time.’”

Fixing the problem

The focus is on problem-solving, no matter how big the challenge. Even when he’s had to work 24-48 hours straight, which happens sometimes, Sweet has come away from the experience admiring the people and the process.

“What makes it all so tolerable, even when there’s a great challenge, is all the people that you work with, how people rally together, how people support each other,” he said. “There’s not a lot of politicking going on. There’s not a lot of people who are trying to be opportunistic and thinking, ‘This is my chance to be golden, and I’m going to power my way into a position.’ That exists very little there.”

Gibb, who was in the Air Force for 26 years and is a regular Southwest customer, has a lot of friends who have gone on to become airline pilots. He said the ones who work for Southwest rave about the company even though they don’t get to fly the monster planes preferred by some other carriers. Who needs an Airbus when you have a work environment that soars?

“It’s just the right way to run a business,” he said.

Fortune has listed Southwest as one of its Most Admired Companies for each of the last 22 years, and in 17 of those rankings it has made the top 10. It is a track record that stands out, and not just in the struggling airline industry.

“Servant leadership is the foundation to our success,” Sweet said.

That, and some good one-liners.

Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or rick.vacek@gcu.edu.

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(Editor’s note: This story is from the August 2016 issue of GCU Magazine. To view the digital version of the magazine, click here.)

By Rick Vacek
GCU Magazine

A lot of spiritual words come to mind when you think of a seminary.

Devotion.

Compassion.

Faith.

To name just three. But there’s another word that has a spirit all its own in the seminary environment.

Focus.

It might be the most important word of all at Grand Canyon Theological Seminary, which opened this year on a vibrant campus in a busy city.

“We’re in this incredible moment historically where the global culture clearly has shifted in directions that are unhealthy and, in many ways, unfocused, and there’s this kind of groping, not sure where we’re going,” said Dr. Jason Hiles, dean of Grand Canyon University’s College of Theology and the Seminary. “When the world around us doesn’t know what it’s doing, we’d better have our act together within the church.”

But this is a different type of seminary focus, and that’s what makes it special — and it’s also why instructors and students alike are so excited about it. There is the introspective aspect of the theological environment, sure, but it is mixed with the opportunity to take part in the multitude of campus events and do ministry in the community.

Anna Faith Smith (left), assistant dean of the College of Theology, and Dr. Jason Hiles, dean of COT and Grand Canyon Theological Seminary

“It’s cool to say, ‘Hey, I go to seminary, but I go to seminary at a university with Division I athletics, which is unique,’” said Bijan Mahlouji, who got his Christian Studies degree from Grand Canyon University in April and now is enrolled in the Seminary’s Master of Divinity program.

Said Annalee Ramirez, another GCU Christian Studies grad who has moved up to the M.Div., “I feel it will help us better serve the different cultures in our neighborhood.”

That’s not a sentiment often heard at seminaries where the focus tends to be more inward. But this is a new kind of intentional experience.

“In a seminary environment, it’s really easy to turn it into a Christian bubble, and we don’t really want a Christian bubble here,” said Anna Faith Smith, assistant dean of the College of Theology. “We want a place where Christians can grow, but in an environment that’s challenging and yet encouraging.”

The Seminary, like the University, is interdenominational, thus providing a path for students whose churches don’t have an established seminary program. It teaches the same doctrinal principles and Biblical truths as GCU.

In short, it is everything the University champions — same sense of community, same warm feeling, same spirit of servant leadership, same affordability. Even better, many of the instructors already have real-world knowledge that truly is real.

“Students are in for a treat,” said one of those instructors, Dr. Justin McLendon. “They won’t just have instructors who will fill their heads with knowledge, they’ll be taught by people who are ministers already. We don’t want students to have big theological brains and hard hearts.”

All in this together

Talk to anyone about the seminary life, and the one theme that comes up over and over is the unity and togetherness. No matter how different they may be, seminarians have something special in common — a love of God and a desire to serve.

Dr. Justin McLendon

“Some of my closest friends are people I went to seminary with,” McLendon said. “We’re joined in this together. It’s the same as if you put two doctors in the same room. They’d already know a lot about each other even if they don’t know each other. They’d still have a lot to talk about.”

And they can talk no matter what their background or belief system is. Jared Ulrich, GCU’s Spiritual Life worship manager, said his time in a seminary gave him a valuable perspective.

“The thing I loved about it, and the thing that’s similar to what GCU will have, both undergrad and grad, is that you get people from all denominations,” he said. “You get people from the whole theological spectrum. To me, that was the most refreshing part about it.

“Sometimes it got a little dicey and sometimes people could be a little bit opinionated, but at the same time, having healthy, respectful debates and dialogues about different viewpoints within the faith was probably the most helpful thing for me in my spiritual walk.”

It was an even more unusual — but equally beneficial — experience for Smith, who went on to a seminary after graduating from GCU. Women in a seminary were not even a “minor minority” in those days, she said, but she didn’t feel ostracized. The environment certainly helped.

Jared Ulrich

“You’re in a group of people who are all working together toward the same goals,” she said. “Each one has a different focus, but they’re pulling on the same team, all trying to get the best preparation they can because they have an idea that God has called them to do a certain kind of ministry.”

That brings up another important difference that GCU brings to the seminary experience — diversity. This will incorporate a multitude of denominations and a wide range of demographics.

“I think we’ll let it grow organically,” Smith said. “I think it would be really odd to say, ‘This is a school that really supports women,’ because that might swing things in some odd way. But what we need to do is show that we are diverse so that when people see us, they see that there are men, there are women, there are many ethnicities and they think, ‘I could fit there.’”

Hiles described the Seminary faculty as “incredibly diverse — men, women, those who are a little older, those who are a little younger, people of color, people who are not of color, various denominations. It’s an incredible mix. And they work together. We’re going to do research, we’re going to be engaged in the scholarly community, but we’re not going to focus simply on publishing books. We’re going to focus on the lives of our students and trying to make our students strong.”

Community feeling

There’s another aspect of the GCU experience that will blend well with the Seminary: having undergraduates mixing with graduate students. Mahlouji and Ramirez both said that’s one of the things they most eagerly anticipate.

Bijan Mahlouji, an avid reader, is eager to share what he’s learning in the Seminary — he plans to go into ministry. (Photo by Darryl Webb)

“I think there are going to be a lot of opportunities for graduate students to serve and to teach the undergraduate students in ways they might not get in the classroom,” Mahlouji said.

Said Ramirez, “It’s going to be a community. I think that’s going to help a lot. It’s going to be a lot of people helping each other — students helping students as well as instructors helping students. That was my experience as an undergrad.”

Ramirez works as an instructor’s assistant in the College of Theology, so she has seen from both sides how the classroom relationships work.

She is a volunteer youth pastor in her church, but her goal is not to go into ministry — it’s to teach.

The fact that she is on this path is a far cry from what she envisioned only a few years ago. Ramirez, who was born and raised in Phoenix, used to go to the mall for a different type of shopping experience: She was shopping for what she would do with her life.

Every time Ramirez went, she would look wistfully at the Marine Corps recruiting center and think she wanted to follow in the bootprints of people from her church who had enlisted. “I would peek in and my heart would race,” she said.

But as time went on, Ramirez instead felt a tug from God in a far different direction, and here she is.

Annalee Ramirez loves to help at her church, which includes braiding the hair of 15-year-old Iliana Rodriguez. (Photo by Darryl Webb)

“God obviously intervened,” she said, “because I’m totally where I should be right now.”

It has been a similar experience for Mahlouji, who grew up just outside Boulder, Colo., and learned of GCU when the University had a booth at a Christian concert. Only in his case, he plans to go into ministry.

“I have found that this is the calling for my life,” he said. “I’ve had people tell me how talented and gifted I am in communicating the word of God to them in a way that’s clear and understandable.

“Charles Spurgeon (a famous 19th-century preacher) told his students, ‘If you can imagine doing anything else with your life other than ministry, you should do that.’ I’ve found that, of all the passions in my life, there’s nothing I could imagine doing other than serving the church.”

And yet, Mahlouji still wasn’t quite sure about his next theological destination until he heard about GCU’s Seminary plan. It helped that Dr. Dan Diffey, one of his mentors at GCU and the assistant dean of the Seminary, was there to advise him and inspire him.

“He was a big influence in my life,” Mahlouji said. “After being in his classes, and we go to the same church as well, just hearing who he is and seeing the man of God that he is and hearing that he’s helping to create the curriculum for the Seminary, I said, ‘Yes, I want to be a part of this.’”

Years in the making

College of Theology leaders have been discussing the idea of Grand Canyon Theological Seminary since at least 2009, and once those talks accelerated a couple of years ago it became a freight train rolling down the track. This is what GCU does. The system is already in place.

“It’s a great environment to be in,” Hiles said. “We have the space, we have the resources, we have the support, we have everything we need, plus we have this amazing student body. Put a faculty together that wants to meet those needs, that wants to speak into that, and you’ve got an incredible combination.”

The resources clearly were evident to the Association of Theological Schools, which made GCU an associate member (the first step toward full accreditation) only four months after its representatives visited campus in February.

Hiles talked recently with two local pastors who expressed their excitement about the Seminary’s impact. “We want them to feel that they can trust us, that they would embrace us,” he said.

That, in turn, means embracing the students who soon could be leading churches in a multitude of ways. This won’t be for the faint of heart … or faith.

“We’re trying to prepare students to really get their hands dirty, shoulder some of this burden and take Christ out into the world, where it’s going to make a huge difference,” Hiles said.

The focus is clear, the goals are in sight. No “Christian bubble.” No “big theological brains and hard hearts.” A desperate world awaits.

Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or rick.vacek@gcu.edu.

The post How GCU’s new Seminary is keeping the faith appeared first on GCU Today.

The biggest issue of GCU Magazine ever gets the 2016-17 academic year off to an informative start with a look at the opening of Grand Canyon Theological Seminary, the inspirational stories of two recipients of the Students Inspiring Students scholarships, how Grand Canyon Beverage Company (above) and other student-run businesses will provide great opportunities for learning and advancement, updates on campus construction and STEM research, and the tales of two highly successful basketball coaches who both played for Grand Canyon. And you can get even further inside with “GCU INsider,” a new feature that provides “INteresting” GCU-centric facts and figures. The digital version of the magazine is available here.

The post GCU Magazine informs, inspires and gets INside appeared first on GCU Today.

Photos by Darryl Webb
GCU News Bureau

Canyon 49 Grill, the new restaurant at the Grand Canyon University Hotel, opened Monday, Aug. 15. The decor is inviting — and so is the menu. Also open is the hotel’s luxurious new pool.

The post Canyon 49 Grill is blazing appeared first on GCU Today.

Antelope Intros is a recurring GCU Today feature that introduces some of our new employees to the people around them in a way that is fun and informative. Employees are eligible to be featured in the month following their orientation.

Patrice Nevins

PATRICE NEVINS

Job title: Enrollment counselor, international/tribal

Job location: Tempe

What attracted you to GCU? This is my first year at GCU as a student. I am a senior, and I was so thrilled about attending that I applied for a job. I was motivated by speaking with my enrollment counselor, and I liked how he was so excited about his job. I also have a cousin that works at GCU, and he loves it!

What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? Jogging and swimming three to four times a week at my apartments, but I also love going to Santa Monica Pier and swimming in the ocean. I love to travel. I’ve been to tons of places within the U.S., including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, all over Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia and many more. My most memorable trip was to Branson, Mo. We stayed at a lodge and were able to see and interact with animals daily. There also was an indoor water park, and we went on a “Ride the Ducks” tour ride that is on land and water in a military vehicle.

What are you passionate about? Education and eating! My family could never afford education, so it is very important for me to take advantage of attending school and learning as much as I can. I also instill this in my son. As far as eating goes, I am always up for baked chicken with green beans and Kick’n Chicken seasoning.

What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? I love Apache Lake because it is so serene and peaceful. I love going there with my dog, Miley, and laying out while my son plays. All my problems disappear when I am there. I like South Mountain because the first time I went, I almost passed out and thought I never would conquer it — but I did six months ago. I love challenges.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know:  I am 28 and my family calls me Granny as a nickname! When I was born, my grandmother said that if I was going to call her Grandma, then she was going to call me Granny. It stuck.

What are you most proud of? Being a mother to my son, Christopher, and a strong example for him.

*****

ASHLYN TUPPER

Ashlyn Tupper

Job title: Enrollment counselor, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions

Job location: Peoria

What attracted you to GCU? I recently graduated from GCU, and as a student I have watched how quickly the University has grown. Seeing this rapid growth made me want to learn more about the inner workings of GCU. I had such a positive experience with my own enrollment counselor that I wanted to see if I could make the same impact on students the way she did; it only seemed fitting that I would seek this position within the GCU family. A key element to why I find GCU so appealing is how family oriented it is. Despite the massive growth of the University, it has not lost its ability to make me feel like a member of the close-knit Lopes family.

What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? The activity I find the most fun is reading literature of any kind. Growing up, I did not particularly care for reading of any kind; however, that all changed when I had a miraculous teacher my sophomore year of high school. This teacher showed me the brilliantly creative worlds of many famous authors and encouraged creative writing every day. Without him, I probably wouldn’t have a degree in English literature.

What are you passionate about? One of my greatest passions is education. I am a firm believer that if someone wants an education, then they deserve to have it. Education allows people to truly understand their passions and can ultimately lead to a successful and fulfilling life.

What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? One of my favorite places to visit in the Valley is the Phoenix Art Museum. It is a relaxing place where I can become engrossed in art, history and dazzling perspectives on societal issues. Of course, the Art Museum and the Phoenix Zoo are a tossup for my favorite place because of, well, monkeys. I like monkeys.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: Once a person knows me well, they surely will find out that I enjoy drawing quite a bit. However, I usually get the inspiration to draw at random times. Oddly enough, I binge draw. I go through drawing phases for long periods of time, then stop doing it for a while.

What are you most proud of? It took place during my time spent at GCU as a student. During my sophomore year, I met an inspiring professor, Barry Regan. He was the instructor for my public speaking class and convinced me to join the very new Speech and Debate Team. I had competed in all four years of high school; however, being a part of this collegiate team was completely different. Joining the GCU team was one of the best decisions I ever made. In my time on the team I got to travel, compete and help my teammates. The success we had as such a young team was mind-boggling and more than I ever expected. I am proud of my team, my coaches and how GCU is impacting lives with the words we deliver throughout the competitive season. I could not be more proud of what my teammates are planning going into the team’s fourth year, and I cannot wait to hear all of the tournament stories they will have to tell. And even though I have graduated and no longer am a member of the team, they always will be my family.

The post Antelope Intros: Patrice Nevins and Ashlyn Tupper appeared first on GCU Today.

(Editor’s note: This story is from the August 2016 issue of GCU Magazine. To view the digital version of the magazine, click here.)

By Jeannette Cruz
GCU Magazine

GCU Stadium’s intimate setting should make it one of the top college soccer venues in the country.

There’s a reason why those of us who grew up living and breathing soccer call it “the beautiful game.” When you look closely at the sport — from watching school-age kids kick around a ball in a neighborhood park to rooting on professional teams in the World Cup — something magical happens. Soccer creates a cultural bond, one in which spirit, diversity and communities are brought together as one because it takes more than a single player to dominate the field. Add in passion and skill, and achieving the goal makes the moment even more significant.

Sounds a lot like what’s happening at Grand Canyon University.

GCU’s already passionate sense of community is adding yet another bonding element this month: the state-of-the-art stadium that now adorns the west side of campus.

Men’s soccer coach Schellas Hyndman can hardly contain himself as he sits in his new office under what he calls “arguably the best soccer stadium in the country.” Above his desk is a rendering of the stadium, a gift from GCU President Brian Mueller when Hyndman arrived early last year. Like a good game of soccer, Hyndman notes, it took an endless amount of teamwork to master that goal.

“In 31 years of coaching, you put together all the time that I’ve personally spent with presidents of universities, and it may have amounted to just a little over an hour,” Hyndman said. “My first meeting with President Mueller was probably 2½ hours. His level of enthusiasm is one you can appreciate.”

Since then, the former FC Dallas coach has sat down with Mueller regularly to talk about their vision for the intimate stadium setting, which encompasses 41,000 square feet and has grass berms on three sides. Now that vision is ready to come to fruition with music, fireworks, halftime shows and, of course, great soccer.

Engineering Building

Hyndman promises that the atmosphere will be electrifying. And as the only Division I men’s team in the state, the potential of GCU soccer is bounteous.

“At the collegiate level, these moments are called soccer games, but at GCU they will become events,” Hyndman said. “It’s going to be a great home field, with great fans and all of the plans and all of the ambition that the University has about creating a larger community.”

The new soccer stadium is only a speck of what GCU has built in just the last year. By the end of the year the University will have 10 new facilities recently completed or under construction. So let’s pass the ball on to the next project.

Just east of the soccer stadium is the Student Life Building, a new four-story modern office space at the intersection of the Promenade and Lopes Way. (Click here for a video tour.) The initial upside to this building is the fact that it is located at the Promenade Circle, which historically has been considered the heart of campus.

On the first floor are the busiest departments — Canyon Activities Board, Spiritual Life, Life Leaders and Associated Students of GCU. There also is a study lounge and some common spaces.

The office of Pastor Tim Griffin, the dean of students, is on the second floor along with Residence Life, Counseling and the newly created Housing department. Athletics occupies the third floor, and the executive team and a number of other departments are on the top floor.

Student Life Building

Griffin said he envisions a dynamic and cultural atmosphere on the lower levels that will be overrun by students 24/7 — a sight he is eager to catch from his window right above the east entrance.

“I hope that students see this building as a place that is here to serve them,” Griffin said. “If they see this as an ivory palace, then we’ve made a mistake. Our intent is to embrace and engage students. Our doors will be open all the time.”

Danielle Rinnier, Spiritual Life director, said the first few weeks of the fall semester will consist of helping students find a club that best fits their interests, which typically means there will be popcorn machines and snow cones right outside the administrative offices.

“It’s exciting to know that this place will be highly populated as students come and go,” she said. “That is probably the single greatest impact that this building is going to have.”

This year, GCU will have at least 170 unique and small weekly groups for students to choose from — including Chapel, The Gathering, Refugee Ministry and Canyon Kids. For Welcome Week alone, the office of Student Engagement has at least 80 events already planned.

“Students drive students — that’s a huge philosophy of ours,” said Jeremy Mack, director of Student Engagement. “We sacrificed office space for student space because our biggest focus is to have students capture the attention of our incoming freshmen. If they feel a connection with a program or club on campus, we want to connect them to it.”

Roadrunner Apartments

Just south of the soccer stadium is a wing of the L-shaped, 173,447-square-foot engineering building, the second structure on campus devoted to that program. The new building consists of two four-story structures connected by elevators and stairs and houses two lecture halls, 34 classrooms and project labs, 66 faculty offices and eight laboratories for students enrolled in new electrical, mechanical and biomedical engineering degree programs.

Three new six-story apartments — Encanto, Roadrunner and Agave — will accommodate upperclassmen and bring the number of residence halls up to 17. Each of the 241,705-square-foot apartments houses 650 beds and features a full kitchen and four individual bedrooms. The style is similar to Papago I and II, which opened in 2014.

Expanded baseball stadium

Giving maturing students the freedom to be independent continues to be an important part of the college experience, said Matt Hopkins, director of Residence Life. His department also helps students learn to develop close-knit friendships and creates community gatherings to keep students engaged.

Recreational opportunities are another major focus this year — four new competitive and intramural beach volleyball courts, six new tennis courts, two basketball courts and enhancements to the baseball and softball fields. The university’s Division I baseball and softball stadiums both will be expanded, with the softball facility pushed out to the northeast to create more seating for spectators.

For the first time, the GCU tennis teams will have a place on campus to call home. The new tennis courts on 30th Drive will be kept busy as a practice facility and site of intercollegiate, club and intramural matches.

Office complex at 27th Avenue

Construction of a 24,000-square-foot basketball practice facility next to GCU Arena has begun and is scheduled to be completed by January. The facility also will house a Jerry Colangelo museum, devoted to one of the most influential business and sports icons in the country. Inside, the men’s and women’s basketball teams will have access to a players’ lounge, a team meeting room and a full practice court with offices and cameras overlooking the court.

The practice facility puts GCU men’s and women’s basketball on par with some of the top schools in the country that already have a dedicated practice facility, said Mike Vaught, GCU’s vice president of athletics.

Basketball practice facility

Off campus at 27th Avenue and Camelback Road is the 155-bedroom GCU Hotel, which opened to the public last August. It will be joined in December by a new four-story office building that will centralize employees who currently work at GCU’s Peoria and Tempe campuses.

Walk into the GCU Hotel and the first thing you’ll notice is the purple — purple paintings, purple bed décor and employees in purple uniforms, plus trendy stools with antelope engravings. It is opening its new family restaurant, 75,000-gallon pool and outside gaming area this month. The restaurant name, Canyon 49 Grill, is a nod to Grand Canyon College’s opening in 1949.

“I like to think of this place as a learning laboratory for students,” hotel manager Brett Cortright said. “What’s going to make this hotel different is the student workers. They’re working to be a part of this industry, and that commitment adds interaction, customer-friendly service and engagement.”

There is a purpose to all this construction — to benefit students and the community. That’s the goal. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Contact Jeannette Cruz at (602) 639-6631 or jeannette.cruz@gcu.edu.

The post A beautiful site: GCU Stadium is ready for action appeared first on GCU Today.

Story by Rick Vacek
Photos by Darryl Webb
GCU News Bureau

It’s an annual rite, like the swallows returning to Capistrano. Only the swallows don’t have throngs of cheering Grand Canyon University students chanting their names.

Every August, the Express Move-In at GCU’s Welcome Week features purple-shirted volunteers laughing, joking, screaming, waving, dancing, clapping, Lopes Upping and just generally going crazy as car after car, with license plates from all over the country, drives up to be unloaded in about a minute.

Students made it clear how they felt about the fact that the new freshmen were on campus.

But the name recognition is what really makes it special. The swallows don’t know what they’re missing.

The volunteers directing traffic kept hearing about it Monday morning, on the first day of Move-In, as they wrote the student’s name, residence hall and room number on the car windshield. “I want to hear them call my name!” the students would say.

And then when it was time to drive up, the fun began.

“Welcome to GCU, Cynthia!”

“Brooke! Brooke! Brooke!”

Cars honking. Students cheering louder. The parents and students arriving on campus get to hear it only once, but the students keep doing it for every new batch of cars, about a dozen at a time. They seem to keep inventing new ways to have fun with it.

“The best thing about it,” said GCU President Brian Mueller, surveying the scene at The Grove residence halls, reserved exclusively for freshmen, “is that the students have taken this over and take responsibility for it. They were treated so well when they first got here, and now they want to pass it on.”

GCU President Brian Mueller talks with student volunteers.

Every local television station was on hand early Monday to record the festivities for their morning newscasts. There was a lot happening, both out front and behind the scenes.

Dads high-fiving volunteers as they drive up.

Volunteers cheering the way people were driving.

Delightfully cooler than normal temperatures.

One volunteer using a spray bottle to cool off his fellow students.

Move-In humor: Volunteer goes up to another volunteer carrying a large box and acts as if he wants to shake hands.

More Move-In humor: One broad-shouldered volunteer lugs a mini-refrigerator by himself. The volunteer behind him carries a pillow, just to be funny. Hey, when you’re carrying things up stairs all morning, you need a break once in awhile.

Parents who had a far different move-in experience at their university, way back when, came back after their car was unloaded and parked to record the event with their cell phone.

Thunder is never bashful about getting to know people.

“We’ve heard it’s as awesome as it is,” said one mom, Cynthia Regardie, whose daughter Lauren was moving into Willow Hall. “We talked about how, back when we moved in to our college, we just had to figure it out — and wound up walking up and down about 50 times.”

The first cars rolled in to be unloaded at 6:30 a.m., about a half-hour ahead of schedule, and the same was done later in the morning for the second batch of move-ins at Acacia Hall.

“So far it’s gone pretty smoothly,” said Charity Norman, new student and family programs manager and the coordinator for all Welcome Week activities. “The mornings are a little hectic, but once it’s rolling it’s a well-oiled machine.”

After going through the move-in line, students and their families have a chance to catch their breath before orientation activities start in the afternoon.

The high-fives were out in force, too.

“For the mornings, especially on the first day that you move in, we give that time to students just to get their room set up, go out to lunch with their family, go to the stores and get things that they need,” Norman said. “In the afternoon is when the orientation begins, and then the next several days they’re busy.”

It’s a way to get things off to a good start and see what GCU is all about. Mueller noted that the academic year starts and ends with two special events — Welcome Week and commencement — that act like book ends. In focus groups, he said, students have emphasized how important it is to gather in large numbers and bond.

“We just like to get together,” Mueller said.

Kind of like the swallows. But they don’t have nearly as much fun. It doesn’t always pay to travel lighter.

Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or rick.vacek@gcu.edu.

The post At GCU’s Move-In, everyone knows your name appeared first on GCU Today.

Photos by Darryl Webb
GCU News Bureau

The start of Welcome Week is a treasured time at Grand Canyon University. With amazing enthusiasm, about 1,600 volunteers take delight in unloading cars in about a minute, and parents and arriving students take equal pleasure in getting such a warm welcome.

The post Move-In, Day 1: Miles of smiles appeared first on GCU Today.

Janelle Talmadge doesn’t go anywhere without Turti her turtle, and GCU is no exception.

Story and photos by Jeannette Cruz Karen Fernau and Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

The freshmen arrived in droves with their parents, refrigerators, family pictures, computers, childhood stuffed animals, TVs and more in tow.

They also arrived at Willow Hall at Grand Canyon University with freshman jitters and dreams for the future.

Monday, the first Move-In day of Welcome Week, is as joyful as it is chaotic. Hellos, goodbyes. Cheering, dancing. Lines of cars on the streets, students waiting for elevators.

The following is a snapshot of what has become a GCU tradition — students helping students at Move-In:

 5 a.m.

Richard Whitehead, a senior marketing major, joins a crowd of 50-plus students gathering outside Willow Hall. Like the others, he wears a GCU purple T-shirt. Like the others, he’s volunteering to help move freshmen into their residence hall. He expects to carry box after box until his arms ache, but all for a good cause.“We know the freshmen will be nervous, and we want to make them feel right at home from their first day,” he says. “We do the heavy lifting so students and their parents can have fun. It’s the beginning of their whole college experience.”

6:10 a.m.

Freshman Maya Olson is an exception. Instead of moving in, she’s a volunteer mover. A member of the GCU dance club, the Phoenix native moved into Juniper Hall three weeks ago with other dancers to practice performing. Her advice to freshmen is simple: “I’ll tell them to check right away to learn what they forgot to pack. Everyone forgets something.”

6:30 a.m.

Jasmine Alvarenga wanted to be the first to move in to Willow Hall. She got what she wanted. Thanks to early rising parents Fredi and Irene, the freshman pre-med major from Los Angeles is first in line. Waking up early to arrive in line at 5 a.m. was a snap. “I was so excited I didn’t sleep,” she says.

Freshman Jasmine Alvarenga was the first to move into Willow Hall.

6:40 a.m.

Lope Shop Director Andy Dunn is sizing up a 20-by-20 spot where Bed Bath & Beyond will set up shop later in the morning for the first three days of Welcome Week.

“We have all hands on deck,” Dunn said, referring to the three Lope shops now open — The Lope Shop on Lopes Way, the Team Shop at GCU Arena and the one-week-old Hotel Shop at Grand Canyon University Hotel.

“Nothing is the same as it was last year,” he says. “We have 10 times the merchandise.”

7 a.m.

For Jillian Mitchell, a freshman history major from Corona, Calif., there is nothing surprising about the dozens of student volunteers swarming her car. “I know that being part of a community is what GCU is all about,” she says. “I knew that I would not have to move in alone.”

Parent Curtis Wilson was pleasantly surprised by all the help.

7:05 a.m.

Curtis Wilson of Plumas Lake, Calif., was expecting to help his son, Jared, carry all the boxes from their car to his room. Instead, he smiles as energetic students take over the task. Is Wilson surprised? “Yes. Yes,” he says. “This reception was so unexpected, but appreciated. I love it.”

7:10 a.m.

With a guitar on her back and stuffed Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh under her arm, Sabrina Woodridge of San Diego waits patiently in the jam-packed Willow lobby. The theater education major says she was both “excited and nervous.”

7:15 a.m.

Janelle Talmadge of Snohomish, Wash. clings to a well-worn turtle pillow as she and her mother, Kelly, followed the energetic coterie of coeds who are hauling the rest of her belongings into Willow Hall. “His name is Turti,” Talmadge says. “He comes on all my vacations, and he sleeps on my bed with me.” Her mother says she was thrilled with the chorus of warm welcomes. “It’s so exciting to be here,” she says.

7:20 a.m.

Shelbey Bissot of Prescott is all grins on the walk to Willow. She, too, clings to a sleeping companion, a furry teddy bear half her size. She laughs at the cheers erupting all around. “It’s crazy,” she says.

Shelbey Bissot, left, holding her teddy bear, and her mother, Shirley, in front of Willow Hall.

7:25 a.m.

For Kyle Rodig of Modesto, Calif., Move-In came just in time. “I’m ready. I’m not nervous at all,” says the business administration major, who joins seven high school classmates at GCU.

7:30 a.m.

Madeleine Thomlinson of Newbury Park, Calif., is anxious to meet her two roommates, both from Colorado. “We’ve only met on Instagram. I’m just a little nervous,” she says.

7:40 a.m.

Volunteer shows off his Lope spirit.

Maria Johnson of San Diego is taking a break from moving her daughter, Christine, into her room. “I’m a Christian, and I feel like this is the best,” Johnson says.

9:15 a.m.

Lauren Lentini, a Grand Canyon Beverage Company manager, is busy on the second floor of the Student Union giving away complimentary beverages to parents. How long had they been operating that morning? “Since 4 a.m.,” Lentini says, referring to when two managers came in to brew coffee. The beverages were available to volunteers at 5 a.m.

9:25 a.m.

Volunteer Alexis Delmar, a sophomore and residence hall leader, cools off in between rounds of “luggage lugging” up and down as many as six flights of stairs. “It’s a workout,” she says. “Some cars are harder than others, but the speed carts help a lot.” Accompanying her is fellow volunteer Allison Burchett, also a sophomore, who says, “All of this excitement shows we are a community of excited people.” And besides, she says, her legs are getting great conditioning.

Volunteer Matt Kershinar, a senior, liked the workout he got from moving heavy furniture for freshmen.

9:40 a.m.

Junior volunteer Brittany Paschall rests briefly on a wall outside Acacia Hall. “I’ve been here since 5 a.m.,” she says. First, she checked in other volunteers and distributed T-shirts and fanny packs before unloading cars and directing parents and students to their destinations. “It’s rewarding to see the next generation of Lopes move in,” she says.

10 a.m.

Sandra Smith drove from Los Angeles to drop off her daughter, Jasmine. Like all the other parents, she is nervous and emotional. “Right now I’m just trying to get her settled, but I think the emotions will kick in once I’m getting ready to go back home,” she says. “But this is for her own good. I’m proud of her.” But for Jasmine, it’s still too soon to think about saying goodbye. “I don’t want to,” she says, standing between her siblings and newborn nephew.

Jasmine Smith, left, and her mother, Sandra, in Acacia Hall.

10:05 a.m.

Volunteers Celena Gammon and Alex Tripp take a break and even take their shoes off inside Acacia Hall after being out since 6 a.m. How are they feeling? “Tired,” they both say. But Gammon, a senior, says she’s giving it all she can.

10:10 a.m.

Volunteers Megan Williams and Diane Jacobs, both juniors, haul a boxed, big-screen TV. Like a lot of volunteers toting heavy furnishings, they say they enjoy it. “I’m helping people. It’s fun and there’s high excitement,” Jacobs says.

Freshman Amanda Acosta holding a bag with her stuffed puppy, which she can’t sleep without.

Amanda Acosta brought her stuffed puppy with her — a memory of her grandpa after he won it for her at Six Flags when she was 6 years old. “I had broken my ankle at the time and couldn’t really do much, so my grandpa got it for me to cheer me up,” she says, “and I’ve slept with it ever since.”

10:15 a.m.

Volunteer Matt Kershinar’s arms are wrapped around a bulky, brown foot stool as he prepares to ascend yet another flight of stairs. “It’s a good workout,” he says.

10:18 a.m.

Junior volunteer Makala Arcio echoes the sentiments of many in the cheering, nearly rhapsodic throng of student volunteers: “I feel good. It’s hot, but the excitement level is still high.”

10:20 a.m.

Andrea Hopper of Tennessee can’t stop looking over her shoulder after she dropped off her son, Cody. “I’m a little sad — he’s an only child,” she says. “I hope he comes home often.”

10:25 a.m.

Volunteers Celena Gammon and Alex Tripp take a break inside Acacia Hall.

Accompanying Katlynn Singletary is her pet fish Jasmine. “She was a gift, and so I had to bring her to college with me,” she said.

10:34 a.m.

Cassandra Brunao of Hawaii arrives, leaving behind two of her closest friends. But before taking off, she had to stop to get donuts for them all to share.

10:45 a.m.

Patricia Espinoza fights to hold back her tears as she watches her son, Michael Goke, move into Acacia Hall. “He’s my baby,” she says. The family drove all the way from Albuquerque, N.M.

10:50 a.m. 

Freshman Katlynn Singletary holds her pet fish, Jasmine.

Kalley Hayes rests on a wall inside the third floor of Acacia Hall. He is wearing a T-shirt that reads, “Dad with pretty daughter.” Is he ready for his pretty daughter to begin her time at GCU? “No — not at all. She’s been such a great kid. She’s my baby girl,” he says.

11 a.m.

For resident assistants Taylor Browne and Josie Edwards, there is nothing surprising about the wave of emotions and energy. “It has been really good fun,” Browne says after handing out the 40th set of room keys. “We had the whole softball team come and cheer on the incoming athletes.”

11:07 a.m.

Despite the dripping sweat, volunteer Karsten Kem is all smiles on his walk along Acacia Hall. He poses to show off his antelope hat. “I’ve worn this thing the whole time,” he says.

Caretha Bussey, left, kisses her younger sister, Maylani goodbye.

11:17 a.m.  

For Maylani Bussey, it’s a warm feeling having her siblings and her favorite pillow with her at Move-In. “My parents would’ve probably been so stressed out doing this,” she says. Older sister Caretha is excited to share the moment. “It’s really epic because we’re 11 years apart, and so I feel like I’m her mom,” she says.  

11:25 a.m.

Kelsey Cardiel of Newport Beach, Calif., makes quite the entrance when she pulls up in her sparkling blue Fiat 500 — all by herself. “It was a long drive and there were stages of thoughts,” she says. “There were times I just wanted to jump out of the car because I was so tired, but I’m here! It’s exciting to finally be here.”

Contact Jeannette Cruz at 602 (639)-6631 or jeannette.cruz@gcu.edu.

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

Contact Laurie Merrill at 602 (639)-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

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Lexi Donaldson, a top U.S. junior competitor in dressage, will miss her family — and her two horses.

By Karen Fernau
GCU News Bureau

Colorado freshman Alexis Donaldson expects to miss her family during her first few months at Grand Canyon University.

But, unlike other new students, she’ll be homesick for more than her parents and two brothers.

Her heart will ache for her two dressage horses, too.

“I know I will be busy at school, but it will be really hard to be away from them,” said Alexis, who goes by Lexi.

Lexi with her dressage horse, Power Play

That is, until Family Weekend in early October when her parents, Paul and Jen Donaldson, drive the two horses to their new home in Cave Creek.

Once they are safe in their stalls, Lexi will resume her dressage training with Power Play, a 19-year-old Oldenburg, a breed known for its excellent gait and agility. The second horse, a 20-year-old former dressage competitor named Justice, is moving to Arizona to keep Power Play, nicknamed Player, company.

“They are best friends. We bring Justice to keep Player happy,” said Donaldson, who recently won a bronze medal at the 2016 North American Junior/Young Rider Championships in Colorado.

Donaldson began dressage, the equestrian version of ballet, at age 9 after a nagging back injury ended her promising gymnastics career.

Family friends in Michigan placed her on one of their dressage horses, and she has devoted her life to the sport ever since.

“Yes,” she said, “it was love at first sight.”

Donaldson’s goals are ambitious. She’s aiming to win the gold medal next year at the junior rider championships and eventually medal in the Olympics.

While attending GCU, Donaldson will continue the rigorous training schedule the sport mandates.  She’ll ride an hour a day at least five times a week and spend another hour or more taking care of the horses, whose “dorm” will be Bellissima Farms in Cave Creek.

Donaldson, who moved into her campus residence hall on Tuesday, suspects she will be the only dressage rider at GCU, a university she selected for its Christian values, compact campus, warm weather and bachelor’s degree in athletic training.

“I’ll start out majoring in athletic training, but if I decide to change, I’ll probably major in criminology,” said Donaldson, a well-rounded athlete who also played soccer in high school.

While living on campus, she expects to become an informal ambassador for dressage, educating those who know little about the Olympic sport.

Dressage is a precise and intricate equestrian sport traced back 2,000 years to the ancient Greeks. The International Equestrian Federation describes dressage as “the highest expression of horse training,” one in which the horse and rider perform a series of predetermined movements requiring a synchronized collaboration between horse and rider.

As Donaldson explained, the rider must perform a multitude of tasks using fingers, wrists, knees, posture and many other nuanced signals while appearing relaxed. In junior competition, the horse and rider must complete up to 27 movements in perfect harmony.

“The hard part is that you are doing so much at once, a million different things,” she said, “but must try to make it look like you are just enjoying the ride.”

Along with changing stables, Donaldson also will change trainers, replacing her longtime Colorado trainer with Bobbie Lynn McKee from Bellissima.

Donaldson has never been away from Player and Justice for more than two weeks. She’s now facing a two-month separation.

The family is staggering the move-in dates of Donaldson and the horses to avoid the extreme heat, believing it’s best for the horses to move from the mountains to the desert in cooler weather.

Although Donaldson won’t be able to ride her horses, their stalls are equipped with wireless video, so thankfully she’ll be able to watch them on her computer.

She’ll watch Justice comfort Player. And she’ll watch Player, a natural performer with an easygoing personality, beg for treats. His favorites? Watermelon and banana.

“They’re incredible horses, and they are family,” she said. “I’ll be glad when they are here.”

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

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Photos by Brandon Sullivan
GCU News Bureau

There was plenty for Grand Canyon University freshmen to do soon after they got settled in on campus Monday. After the New Student Expo and New Student and Parent Orientation in the afternoon, the Canyon Cooldown on Monday evening provided a splash of excitement.

The post Welcome Week activities, Day 1 appeared first on GCU Today.

Photos by Darryl Webb
GCU News Bureau

The overnight rain ended just in time, giving way to sunny skies and sunny attitudes Tuesday morning for the second day of Move-In at Grand Canyon University. Volunteers were out in force at Juniper, Ironwood and Prescott halls.

The post Move-In, Day 2: Rain stops, fun begins appeared first on GCU Today.

By Karen Fernau
GCU News Bureau

Maria McCulley is confident her freshman daughter, Hannah, will adjust quickly to her new life as a pre-med student at Grand Canyon University.

Maria McCulley says having her daughter Hannah away at college will be an adjustment.

“My son is a senior here and it’s such a wonderful university. Hannah knows this, and she’s excited to be here,” McCulley said Tuesday as she watched cheering student volunteers move freshmen into Juniper Hall. “She’s ready to start her new life.”

The Scottsdale mom, however, is not so sure she’s ready to start her own “new” life as an empty nester.

“Hannah’s ready to fly, but I’m not as sure I’m ready. She’s my baby, and it will be difficult,” said McCulley, senior director for the non-profit Food for the Hungry.

McCulley is far from alone. While dropping a child off at college can be both rewarding and exciting, that doesn’t make it easy. It marks the beginning of letting go and, for many parents, that’s a tough assignment.

Flora Young admitted to crying as she moved her daughter Samantha into Ironwood Hall, and she expected the tears to continue during the six hours it takes to drive back to the empty house she shares with husband, Richard Young, in Redondo Beach, Calif.

“I don’t really know whether to laugh or cry, feel happy or sad,” she said.

Their daughter, a GCU nursing student, is the youngest of their three children and the last to leave home. Although the couple has been preparing themselves, they admit feeling off balance.

The Young family — (from left) Richard, Samantha and Flora — enjoy their time on campus.

“It feels like it’s been 10 minutes from baby to college student,” said Richard Young, a contractor who plans to fill their newfound empty-nest phase ripping down and rebuilding their home. “It’s her time now.”

For many parents, GCU’s warm welcome on moving day and beyond makes saying goodbye easier. One such parent is Janet Gonzales of Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Her freshman, Brennan Gonzales, is the first in her family to go to college.

“It’s overwhelming,” she said, adding that it’s made easier by all the “Lopes Up” and the serenade of car horns.

“It’s our first child ever to go away to a new city. This is a first-time experience for us,” she said. “We know he’s meant to come to this college because we prayed about it. We also have family here, so I am at peace.”

Micah Panjada, a minister from Moberly, Mo., is another parent grateful for the red carpet welcome extended to his son, Josiah, shortly after an early morning rainstorm that left telltale puddles outside Juniper Hall.

“I’m excited for him because he’s in such a great place.  I had a blast in college and hope he does, too,” said Panjada, a graduate of Faith Bible College in Iowa.

Micah Pinjada hopes his son Josiah enjoys college as much as he did.

Many parents understand that the initial gut-wrenching sadness will fade several months after the drop-off. There will be a few pluses — less laundry, fewer trips to the grocery store.

As Funke Ogundare, mother of freshman Dara Ogundare, said, “As a parent, your job never ends, but this is the end of one era and the beginning of the next.”

She and her husband, Yinka, plan on counteracting the loss of their only child.

“Everything in life has been leading up to this point. It’s very emotional, but we will make the best of it by being together more,” said Ogundare, a GCU development manager.

Christine Fleenor of Santa Maria, Calif., is not a mother of an incoming freshman, but she still brought one to campus Tuesday. She was filling the slot left empty by a dear friend who died six months ago from cancer.

“I’m not a mom, but I am crying like I am,” she said. “It’s very emotional. I promised her mom I would be here today. GCU is what she wanted for her daughter, and for that we are thankful.”

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

Laurie Merrill contributed to this story.

The post For parents, Move-In a mix of Lopes up, letting go appeared first on GCU Today.

The GCU cheerleaders

By Mark Heller
GCU News Bureau

The 2016-17 academic year hasn’t even begun yet, and Grand Canyon University teams already are bringing home the hardware.

The cheer and dance teams had their best finishes ever at the Universal Cheer Association (UCA) and Universal Dance Association (UDA) camp competitions earlier this month at Santa Barbara, Calif., sweeping the Leadership Awards and defeating several Division I universities, including New Mexico, Cal and San Diego State. GCU’s mascot, Thunder, also was a big winner.

The cheer team won the Most Collegiate Award, Leadership Award, Game Day Award, first place in Fight Song, second place in Game Day and was voted Superior in all the categories in which it competed.

In addition to the Leadership Award, the dance team won first place for its Home Routine and for Most Collegiate and earned Superior Awards for Fight Song and routine evaluations.

Thunder was the Camp Champion for the fourth straight year and also won the Leadership Award.

The GCU dancers

“The expectations have grown and we’ve grown with them,” senior cheer captain Olivia Moeck said. “It’s the best we’ve done, and how we’ve grown as a program and school is the ultimate reward.”

Summer vacation might have been cut short, but it was worth it.

After a minicamp for a couple days in early June, in which the dance and cheer teams received their specific routines, the squads arrived on campus for good at the beginning of August.

Their “welcome week” consisted of eight consecutive days of eight-hour practices followed by team building and community-service exercises leading up to the camps.

In between, dance team members updated coaches with individual videos.

Opinions were mixed as to which award meant the most, but repeating in Best Fight Song was mentioned more than once.

The Leadership Award, however, resonated with both coaches and dancers, not only because the winning school is voted on by all other participating schools, but also because the award encapsulated many attributes that attracted these cheer and dance students to GCU in the first place: servant leadership.

“It was the biggest compliment we could get,” senior dancer Lauryn Manning said. “It means we’re doing all the right things, presenting ourselves well, down to the details of saying ‘thank you’ after critiques.”

Lauryn Manning

Internal expectations for both squads were high to begin the summer, especially with heavy sophomore and junior classes on both squads’ rosters.

But thanks in part to the senior captains and returning members, the rapid growth required from newcomers during those long summer days was present and (happily) accounted for.

“Our new people came in and grew so quickly, and every year for these past four years has been a little better,” senior cheer member Jami Cox said. “We’re growing up fast. Everyone has competed at a high level and with a positive attitude. It’s exactly what you want.”

In preparation for what’s expected to be a successful 2016-17 season for all GCU athletics, this time the spirit squads gave the rest of Lope Nation reason to cheer.

“We’ll carry this through on game days, whether it’s basketball, soccer, wherever we are,” Manning said. “We’re representing GCU, the school and ourselves. We’re going to bring the energy every day.”

Contact Mark Heller at (602) 639-7516 or mark.heller@gcu.edu

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Story by Rick Vacek
Photos by Darryl Webb
GCU News Bureau

Back in the day, when we walked two miles to school (uphill and into the wind in both directions, of course) and actually had to use maps made of paper, showing up at college was about as personal as getting your driver’s license renewed.

You went to an office to get the key to a mysterious room in a dormitory you’d never seen on a campus you’d visited once.

Senior writer Rick Vacek takes one of his 10 trips up the stairs as a Move-In volunteer.

“Where’s Forbes Hall?” you asked.

“Over that way,” you were told. “Use the map.”

So you directed your increasingly annoyed dad down this street and that until you found your new home, but then good luck getting a parking space. And once you did, carrying all your stuff to the room was the sole responsibility of you and as many family members as you brought — at least the ones who were willing to help.

I couldn’t help but relive those ancient memories Tuesday morning when, for the first time, I joined the pack of volunteers for Move-In at Grand Canyon University. I wanted to see what it was like from the volunteer side, to feel what it was like to carry something up four or five flights of stairs. And then do it again. And again. And again.

The smiles of the volunteers were as abundant as the items to be carried.

And you know what? As much as the students and especially their parents appreciate it, it’s just as much fun for the volunteers. The Move-In experience is so personal, it’s as if everyone who’s part of it is like one big family.

Everyone … is … so … darn … happy.

Not once in three hours did I hear a single discouraging word from anyone in a purple shirt, even the ones who were lugging mini-fridges and other shoulder-testers up the stairs to the fifth floor. In fact, the biggest challenge for any volunteer is getting to carry something — because every time a car pulls up, it is surrounded by people eager to help.

“You’ve just got to get in there and grab something,” was the advice of Juanita Jackson, the qualifying specialist from GCU’s Tempe office who by happenstance became my mentor for the morning. “Be aggressive.”

Got it, Coach. So I walked right up to the next car that arrived at Prescott Hall and took the first box available. But I was about to get a quick education in Move-In Volunteering 304 (this is an advanced course).

You’ve got to keep moving or you’ll hold up the line.

First, if you don’t look at the information on the car’s windshield before you grab, you’re playing Room Number Roulette. It could be on the first floor, but it could be on the fifth or sixth. Just for fun, I wanted to be surprised.

Second, when things really get busy you can’t stop to rest going up the stairs or you’ll hold up the entire procession. But, again, no problem — in our noontime boot camp at GCU, one trip up the stairs wouldn’t even qualify as a warmup.

Third, you get thanked by the volunteers at the information tables on the fourth or fifth floor just about every time you walk past them. I couldn’t tell what they were applauding — that the old guy had climbed the stairs or that he hadn’t forgotten the room number.

Finally, you learn pretty fast that you need to follow the more experienced volunteers. I committed the total rookie mistake of going down the “up” stairwell my first time as surprised students maneuvered out of my way despite the load they were carrying.

Sometimes it takes teamwork.

True to form, though, not a single one said a word to the dunce who took three floors to figure out that he needed to use the outside stairs at the other end of the building.

In time, the floors I visited looked like a golf scorecard:

5 5 5 4 5 3 5 3 4 5

That’s 44 floors. And how many stairs is that? We’ve got that figured out for you, too, sports fans: It was 668.

But that’s only a three-hour shift. A lot of volunteers go for the full six hours, and one of them estimated that she walked 16 miles Monday. Then there was the one who worked that shift, showered and went to her student worker job on campus.

That’s what gets you about watching this scene unfold: The volunteers, almost entirely students, have such a good time doing it, they make it look like fun, not work. Even the wait for the next batch of cars is fun.

And sometimes you can just shoulder the burden — if you’re younger.

It doesn’t take much to get them singing along and dancing (Taylor Swift songs seemed especially effective). They really, really like it when a car honks its horn. And they’re there to work — and work hard.

“I was in awe to see the kids going after it,” said Jackson, who has been with GCU for a little more than a year and saw Move-In for the first time Monday. “They weren’t sitting down.”

Jake Lambert, a senior financial analyst at GCU, has been volunteering at Move-In for 10 years, since he was a student at the University. Back in those days, he said, he was one of only 50 people helping out — and that was more than enough.

“You’d think it would get easier now that we have so many more volunteers,” he said. “But, of course, we have so many more students, too. It’s always exciting, though. It’s just fun to be part of it.”

Part of that fun, he said, used to be seeing who could carry the most mini-fridges in a shift. The record was 25. How many did he lug up the stairs Monday?

“One,” he said. “I was in bed last night by 9 o’clock — and I could barely make it until then.”

We’ll leave the mini-fridges to the youngsters, but being a Move-In volunteer is definitely an experience not to be missed for any GCU employee. Avoid any “Stairway to Heaven” jokes, however. You’ll date yourself.

Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or rick.vacek@gcu.edu.

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