Connie Colbert

By Connie Colbert
Director, Canyon Health and Wellness Clinic

We are about halfway through the summer, and hopefully you are able to get away for rest and relaxation.

There are many health benefits to resting, but it is one thing that many people neglect when trying to live a healthy lifestyle. They eat the right foods and exercise regularly, but they do not take the time to relax their body, mind and Spirit! Here are few that you might not be aware of:

• Improves focus.
• Increases motivation.
• Aids recovery. Aday or two off per week is required to allow bone, muscle, tendons and ligaments the time to recover and repair themselves. Muscle growth occurs during rest periods, not during exercise.
• Helps you sleep: Adequate sleep allows the mind to repair itself and develop new connections.
• Boosts brain function and allows for better concentration and focus. This allows you to be more effective and efficient. Less time to do the same work!
• Protects your heart: Researchers agree that rest and relaxation protects your heart from the effects of stress.
• Re-orients our thinking patterns and increases creativity.
• Refreshes us, making it easier to return to our normal schedules.
• Lowers stress and in turn decreases abnormal levels of the stress hormone called cortisol. High levels of cortisol can zap your energy, decrease productivity and decrease your overall general health.

There are also spiritual benefits. The Bible has several references to the value of rest and restoration. Exodus 20:8-11 describes how God Himself rested after He completed his work in six days. So I challenge you all to make a resolution to get the rest your body and mind deserves. Here are a few tips to get started:

• A day of rest: Take a day each week to rest from your usual hectic schedule. Spent time with family, read a book, go to church or choose an activity that enables you celebrate the gifts that life has to offer.
• Lights out: Give yourself a strict schedule for going to sleep. At bedtime, turn off the television, put down your smartphone or close that book you were reading. 
• Write it down: Challenge yourself to keep a log of the time you go to sleep, what time you wake up and any improvement you may feel. Try this for a month.

However you want to incorporate rest into your schedule, make it a priority!

The post Fitness Facts: Benefits of rest appeared first on GCU Today.

Instructor Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro (center) helms contemporary and jazz classes Tuesday at the GCU Summer Dance Intensive.

Story by Lana Sweeten-Shults
Photos by David Kadlubowski
GCU News Bureau

“Beep-beep-beep-beep!!!!”

“Vroom! Vroom!”

Arms stretched out, hands twisting.

The six girls, some with their hair twirled around in a ballet dancer’s bun, gathered in tight formation, chugging along the dance floor. They were a car. A truck. A bus.

Instructor Marlene Strang (second from right) teaches modern dance partnering.

They barreled forward, zigzagging through the other eight or so ensembles who also were dancing to their own drummer, though no music piped through the laptop that earlier in the day pumped out a Brazilian samba. In the silence of the dance studios in Grand Canyon University’s Saguaro Hall, where the only sounds were the harmonic “beep-beep-beep” of that ensemble, a giggle and the rhythmic sticky patter of bare feet landing on the spring floor, more than 40 dancers converged on Monday to test their improvisational skills on the first day of the weeklong GCU Summer Dance Intensive.

University dance instructor Marlene Strang gingerly weaved through the little groups of dancers, telling them to move a part of the body in a way they haven’t really moved before and giving them leave to add sound to their improvisational performances.

At the end of this flurry of dance activity, she asked what stood out to the students during the hourlong session.

“I liked when you let sound become part of it,” said Ali Adelis of Laveen, Ariz., the intensive’s only male dance student.

Another dancer observed how, when one group started to putter around like a car, that led to them trying to emulate a plane and other modes of transportation.

More than 40 students are immersing themselves in dance for five days.

“So one little idea became this whole piece,” Strang said, adding how improvised movements “came together so beautifully it could have been choreographed, but it just happened.”

This is the sixth year for the summer camp (here’s a video from 2017), in which dancers from not just Arizona but California, Wisconsin and several other states immerse themselves in dance for five days, spending about seven hours each day in everything from ballet to jazz, contemporary, hip hop, world dance and improvisation, to name a few. They stay overnight in the campus residence halls so they can start their day of dance early the next morning under the helm of a half dozen instructors and a guest artist.

“We have a mission to spread dance education,” College of Fine Arts and Production Dance Director Susannah Keita said, and this is one of the ways the Dance Department fulfills that mission.

The Intensive also is part of the department’s “visibility campaign,” Keita said. The department wants the dance community to know what the University offers and hopes that some of the participants – they range from ages 14 to 24 – might choose GCU for their dance education.

GCU dance education major Tyler Curry (right) serves as a Summer Dance Intensive counselor and helps out in dance class.

GCU dance education major and hospitality management minor Tyler Curry, a camper last year, serves as one of the dance intensive’s four counselors. What he thinks attracts the students – there was a waiting list this year, he said – is that the classes are offered in two levels, advanced and beginning. Also, students not only get to immerse themselves in what they love – dance, in a variety of forms taught by a variety of teachers. They get the college experience, too.

“The counselors are in there with them in the dorms,” he said. “If the campers have any questions, they can ask us.”

Seventeen-year-old Zoe Hunter is in her third Summer Dance Intensive. She’ll be attending GCU as a freshman in the fall, double majoring in dance and psychology with a minor in theatre.

“I really enjoyed the first two years,” said Hunter, adding that what she loves about this immersive summer camp is, “It’s really diverse and there’s a lot going on. … I’m primarily a ballet dancer, but I enjoyed taking all the different styles.”

Hunter was one of the students in the advanced class, which spent part of the afternoon learning a Brazilian contemporary dance from GCU  instructor Alicia-Lynn Nascimento Castro. The students sat on the dance floor, lined up, legs forward, then they twisted onto their bellies before pushing up and twisting again.

Sheryl Powell and Victoria Vandeventer strike a pose during modern dance partnering class.

“Our feet in contemporary class, they want to stay on the ground,” Castro said as she demonstrated a dance move called the cloche. “Your feet have a function: Look at my feet.”

She watches the move repeated by one student: “No,” she says when the move isn’t right, then “no” two or three times more after that before her eyes light up, she points and says, “Now THAT!” when the student has perfected the move.

Sierra Leek, 16, found out about the GCU Summer Dance Intensive from her mom, and like Hunter, picked the camp because of all the different styles. She said her favorite so far has been contemporary. There aren’t as many rules, she said.

Brittany White, who has been dancing since she was 2 years old, came all the way from Wisconsin and is using the weeklong summer camp as a way to get to know GCU’s dance instructors before she starts classes at the University in the fall.

“I love meeting all the teachers,” she said. “I’m getting a feel for them, and the school.”

Students are studying a variety of dance forms, from ballet to West African and hip hop.

Adelis has taken dance for a year and is just starting to explore dance.

“So far my favorite has been contemporary and floor work. You’re not limited to technique. You just get to express,” he said, as the improvisation class was wrapping up and students readied themselves to dash into the first big rain of the summer and head to dinner in the Student Union.

Although he is the only male dancer in the camp and although the dance days are long, he said he wouldn’t hesitate to sign up again: “I’m glad I did it, because this is amazing.”

The Summer Dance Intensive will culminate with a free informal performance from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday in Thunderground.

You can reach GCU senior writer Lana Sweeten-Shults at lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu or at 602-639-7901.

The post Dancers twist again, like they did last summer appeared first on GCU Today.

Jim Miller,  corporate chaplain

 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

  He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father … ”  (Luke 11:1-2)

By Pastor Jim Miller
GCU Corporate Chaplain

Have you ever wondered why we pray? If I’m honest, I often see prayer as the way to get God to do what I think He ought to do. In reality, prayer is more about the deepening of my trust in God than it is about bending His will to mine. There’s so much to be learned from the model prayer Jesus gives his disciples, but I can’t get past the first word!

Jesus says that when you pray, when you have concerns about life that you need to express to God, begin here, immerse your anxiety, your fear, your confusion, in this wonderful truth:

“Father … ” 

The Almighty God is a Father who loves us, who is concerned about us and who cares about what we’re going through. He is near us, He protects us, He provides for us, He knows us. Remind yourself that you are not alone in your struggles, that the good Father has your best interests in mind. Imagine how such a prayer would alter the different perspective we bring to our circumstances, how fear and anxiety would be eliminated in the environment of the kindness of our Father. So the next time you pray, before you launch into the laundry list of requests, take a moment to consider that your Daddy is already working on your behalf, and He can be trusted. 

****

The next all-employee Chapel is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  July 18 in the first-floor lecture room of the 27th Avenue Office Building. Pastor Tim Griffin, Dean of Students, will be speaking.

The post Theology Thursday: Power of prayer appeared first on GCU Today.

Costume designers Nola Yergen and Sarah Levinson won a Best in Show award for Workmanship in the Historical Masquerade competition at the recent Costume-Con for their entry, which featured catacomb saints.

By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

Alice: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

Cheshire Cat: “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.”

Alice: “I don’t much care where.”

Cheshire Cat: “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

Alice: “… So long as I get SOMEWHERE.”

Yergen and Levinson wowed the judges with their Mad Hatter costume, worn by teammate Brian Lapham.

Nola Yergen and Sarah Levinson have marched into their somewhere. It’s the somewhere where the March Hare piddles about – somewhere down the rabbit hole, where, as it turns out, they’re not very late for that important date. Where, like Alice, they’re 10 feet tall – or at least, they feel like it – after some big wins at the recent Costume-Con in San Diego, the international convention for costume devotees.

Yergen, longtime costume designer in Grand Canyon University’s College of Fine Arts and Production (COFAP), and Levinson, assistant costume designer, won Best in Show in Presentation and Workmanship for their “Alice in Wonderland”-themed entry, “Taking Back Wonderland,” in the convention’s Sci-Fi and Fantasy Masquerade competition. They also sewed up the Best in Show Workmanship award in the Historical Masquerade competition for their entry of ornately bedazzled catacomb saints, called reliquaries.

It had been four years since the pair entered Costume-Con. Ever since then, they have been dreaming of taking on the challenge and testing their costuming mettle once again, outside of their campus duties.

For seemingly endless hours, they dive, willingly, into their own rabbit hole, the GCU Costume Shop, designing and bringing to life costumes for Ethington Theatre’s season of plays (such as the opulent  17th-century French artistocratic drapery for “Tartuffe” that was GCU’s 2017-18 entry into the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival).

Creating costumes is what they live for.

“We very foolishly decided to enter both of Costume-Con’s competitions,” Levinson said on a recent Thursday afternoon from the costume shop, nestled in the Media Arts Complex on the Promenade. The shop is girded with costume upon costume and dappled with packed boxes as the College of Fine Arts and Production readies for its much anticipated move to its new home in the old Colangelo College of Business Building in the next month or so.

“We were dumb,” Yergen said of daring to tackle both competitions.

“We were ambitious,” Levinson suggested with a smile.

The two started working on their entries about a year before Costume-Con and recruited six of their family and friends to help out.

The pair’s “Alice in Wonderland” entry marched boldly away from the storybook wonderment of the Disney film.

Levinson, GCU assistant costume designer, portrayed Alice in “Taking Back Wonderland,” her and GCU costume designer Nola Yergen’s entry in the Sci-Fi and Masquerade category of Costume-Con.

Yergen and Levinson’s Alice trades the sensible, schoolgirl blue dress and white apron for a steely-eyed, defiant warrior Alice that’s more “Game of Thrones” than traditional Alice. Her costume comes complete with combat boots, leather touches and a vorpal sword for her to slay the Jabberwock, a creature that terrorizes the villagers in author Lewis Carroll’s sequel to “Alice in Wonderland,” called “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There.”

“Our concept was that Alice had already been to Wonderland, went home and decided to go and take back Wonderland,” Yergen said.

The character’s costume is heavy with all the things Alice needs in her mission to take back Wonderland: “She has the Eat Me Drink Me vials down the leg,” said Levinson, who portrayed Alice in the presentation – or skit — portion of the competition. “There’s a teacup holster for the Mad Hatter. There’s looking glasses and a sword holster for the vorpal sword.”

This combat-ready “Alice in Wonderland” fully embraces the Queen of Hearts, which Yergen said is “definitely more creepy” in her and Levinson’s version.

Yergen, who transformed into the beheading-happy queen for the competition, steadied a miniature guillotine in the Queen of Hearts’ crown, while fallen Disney princesses pepper the costume’s panniers, or side hoops.

The team’s Queen of Hearts, portrayed by Yergen, is a darker-hearted royal, complete with mini guillotine in her crown and fallen Disney princesses in her pannier.

Also part of the “Taking Back Wonderland” entry: the White Rabbit, who is represented as the shady trench coat-wearing salesman hawking the things Wonderland residents need, from Eat Me Drink Me vials to clocks, as well as the Mad Hatter, whose hat pops up (as a plus, a dormouse emerges from the hat).

There’s also the Jabberwock, a leviathan-sized dragon controlled by five people – two for the body, one for the head and one person in each wing.

“Our Jabberwock was pretty much a skeletal kind of character,” Yergen said. “We came up with the idea that he was this, almost, like a natural history display that was in the queen’s rose garden, and so roses started vining up over him and then he gets magic-ed back to life. At least that was our backstory.”

Yergen and Levinson also dazzled Costume-Con judges with their gilded and bejeweled Historical Masquerade reliquary entry. Think skeletons dappled with rococo silver and gold hats and costumes, their rib bones encrusted with jewels, as if those jewels – pearls, sapphires, emeralds and the like – were sparkling, ornate barnacles secured to their saintly vessels.

These resplendent catacomb saints were the bodies of ancient Christians exhumed from the Roman catacombs, sumptuously decorated and sent abroad in towns throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland from the 1500s to 1800s to serve as relics of the saints. The catacomb saints served as a response by the Catholic Church to the destruction of religious relics and iconography during a time when Protestantism was on the rise.

“They took these bones and sent them to various churches across Germany, primarily. Then the priests, nuns and monks would dress up the bones and put them on display,” Yergen said.

“And bedazzle them, insanely,” Levinson added.

Yergen: “So we did that, too.”

Besides the Best in Show wins, Yergen and Levinson brought home the Barbie-in-cement award called the Cement Overshoes Award, given by the Chicago chapter of the International Costumers’ Guild.

Besides the Best in Show awards, the Yergen-Levinson costume team also landed the Cement Overshoes Award, given by the Chicago Chapter of the International Costumers’ Guild, the organization that puts on Costume-Con.

The Chicago Chapter is affectionately dubbed “The Mob,” and its award is called the Cement Overshoes Award because “they want to kill you and steal your stuff because it’s so cool,” Yergen said with a laugh.

What Yergen and Levinson love about entering a competition like Costume-Con is the challenge of learning new techniques.

“It’s the fun of doing costumes for us,” Levinson said.

“We get to experiment, so it expands our skills,” Yergen added. “For example, my chest piece (for one of the reliquary costumes) is made out of fiberglass, so I had to learn to do fiberglass for this project.”

It took five people to bring to life the team’s skeletal Jabberwock.

One of Levinson’s costumes was made out of a thermoplastic called Wonderflex. It softens when soaked in hot water so it can be shaped, then hardens when it cools. For the skeletons’ bones and the Jabberwock, the team used a type of manufacturing foam that comes in blocks that the company can shape for you.

“There’s a lot of creativity and learning of new products and processes involved,” Yergen said.

The boon of the competition for the costume designers is being able to bring back those new techniques to GCU.

Many of those techniques Yergen has filmed for her YouTube Channel, CostumeTrek. Yergen interviews fellow costume designers and reports from costume events. She even got her body painted in one segment. It’s here where you can see how to make pool noodle wigs (wigs made from swimming pool noodles), watch a tutorial on how to make a steampunk pouch or see Yergen helping her Cosplay mom don her Wonder Woman costume in an episode called “Wonder Woman Cosplay Grandma Battles Dementia.”

The videos originally were filmed to provide tutorials for theatre students working in GCU’s costume shop.

“Before the tutorials, we had to stop what we were doing, teach them how to do it, make sure they were doing it right,” said Levinson, whose main job is to build costumes for COFAP. “This way, it’s like, ‘Go on YouTube, go to the tutorial. Come to me so I can see if you’re doing it right, and if you’re not, watch the tutorial again.’”

“It’s very useful for here at GCU, because when I teach costume design, they have all these resources they can go to,” Yergen said.

The team’s White Rabbit hawks Eat Me Drink Me vials and more.

The two are back in the costume shop weeks before they usually arrive back on campus for the fall semester. They’re getting a jump on the theatre department’s first production for 2018-19, “Ring ‘Round the Moon,” a comedy set in the 1920s. Rehearsals start in late July.

COFAP’s move could come any day now, and Yergen and Levinson want to be ready.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” Yergen said.

They already have researched a design house mentioned in the play, Callot Soeurs.

“These outfits are just so ahhh. It’s very drooly,” Yergen said.

“I’m going, ‘Look at the shoes!’” Levinson added.

It looks as if it’s back to the rabbit hole.

You can reach GCU senior writer Lana Sweeten-Shults at lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu or at 602-639-7901.

The post Common thread for designers: Winning Costume-Con 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.

DANIEL CASTANEDA

Daniel Castaneda and his family

Job title: University development counselor, College of Theology

Job location: Dallas

What attracted you to GCU? The recent partnership with Christ For The Nations. I was working there as the domestic enrollment supervisor and was recommended by them for my current role.

What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? Besides spending time with my family and enjoying them, I like to sing, play guitar and write songs.

What are you passionate about? Besides the Lord, people. They matter most. And within that paradigm, my sweet and beautiful wife and amazing kiddos!

What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? I got to visit Gateway Church in Scottsdale. It was awesome.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I’ve had about three major car accidents where I stared death in the face and it couldn’t touch me! Wasn’t my time yet! See Psalms 31-15: “My times are in your hands …”

What are you most proud of? God and what He’s done in me and for me. I also am super proud to be married to my sweet and beautiful bride, Stephany, and to have four kids who are 5, 4, 2 and 10 months old. #GodisGood

****

ESTHER HARDAWAY

Esther Hardaway and her family

Job title: Business analyst, Student Information System

Job location: 27th Avenue, Building 71

What attracted you to GCU? I worked in the past with a number of GCU employees. I’ve only heard great things about GCU, specifically the sense of community here. I’ve been here for four weeks and I’m very impressed with the culture here at GCU.

What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? My outlet is my son. He is just over 1 year old, and I love seeing him explore the world for the first time.

What are you passionate about? Food! I love to cook for my family and love experiencing new restaurants. Nothing brings people together better than food.

What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? My favorite event in the Valley is the Greek Festival every fall in Phoenix. Opa!

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I’ve visited 10 foreign countries. I believe travelling and experiencing different cultures gives you a healthy world view.

What are you most proud of? My amazing family! I have a husband, 11-year-old stepson and 1-year-old son. I never thought I would enjoy being outnumbered, but my boys take good care of me.

The post Antelope Intros: Daniel Castaneda and Esther Hardaway appeared first on GCU Today.

Seventh-graders Jade Chalmers (left) and Elisabeth Montoya wait for their DNA to separate from a Gatorade-cell concoction at Monday’s Biovision camp, one of four Thunder Vision STEM Day Camps being organized this week on the Grand Canyon University campus by Strategic Educational Alliances.

By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

When most 11-year-olds accessorize, it’s with a charm bracelet — maybe a friendship necklace.

But if you happen to bump into Jade Chalmers and Elisabeth Montoya on the Grand Canyon University campus this week, you might notice that the vials hanging around their necks are far from charm-bracelet or friendship-necklace territory.

The seventh-graders, giddy and sparkly-eyed with all the science excitement GCU could muster, spent their Monday morning extracting their own DNA, gingerly placing it into vials and making a DNA necklace — a pendant of science-y proportions, if you will.

Campers form a giant double stranded DNA molecule during the “DNA: The Secret Code” session.

Deoxyribonucleic acid got a big shout-out Monday at the Biovision bioscience and biotechnology camp, one of four Thunder Vision STEM Day Camps – that’s science, technology, engineering and math – unfurling this week on the GCU campus, courtesy of Strategic Educational Alliances, which supports kindergarten through 12th-grade students and educators and fosters a college-ready culture.

About 100 seventh-and eighth-graders for each of the four sessions of the STEM camps – Biovision, Cybervision (computer science and math), Robovision (robotics and engineering) and Technovision (technology integration) — will be firing up their neurons on campus through Thursday.

It was in the “See Your Own DNA” session of the Biovision Camp that students gathered their own DNA, swishing Gatorade in their mouth, spitting that Gatorade/cell concoction into a cup, then adding detergent water and protease (a type of enzyme), along with cold alcohol to prod the DNA from the solution.

“We added laundry detergent to get rid of the cell membrane,” Montoya piped up, talking lickety-split, as if the universe didn’t have enough space for all her thoughts.

“Then we added alcohol,” her new camp best buddy, Chalmers, added.

“That makes the DNA come to the top,” continued Montoya, who wore a “Jesus Over Everybody” hoodie. “You can see a silky strand.”

At least you could see the silky strand developing in Chalmers’ sample.

“It’s not going well for me,” Montoya said, her head cradled on her forearm as her eyes peered up to the Gatorade-blue, liquid-filled tube she held just above her head.

Strategic Educational Alliances K-12 STEM Outreach Manager Marni Landry (left) shows a group of campers how to save the DNA they just extracted.

“If you want to save your DNA, come over to this area, and I’ll show you what you need to do,” SEA K-12 Stem Outreach Manager Marni Landry said as she instructed a group of campers gathered around her to grab a pipette. “You only want to suck up the DNA in the clear layer,” which the campers then gingerly placed into an Eppendorf tube.

The do-it-yourself gathering of DNA activity inspired a flurry of questions:

“Does the DNA go away?” one student asked.

Landry answered, “If that tube is sealed? No,” she said, mentioning that she has kept a vial of DNA for the past decade or so.

Another student asked, “If you inject someone else’s DNA, will that do anything to your DNA?”

“Just injecting DNA won’t do anything,” Landry answered. “You actually have to take the A’s and the T’s and the G’s and the C’s (adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine, which make up DNA’s genomic alphabet) and attach them together chemically.”

Landry then had a few questions of her own for the class as they wrapped up their session before lunch break: “How many chromosomes are in one of your cells?”

Answer: That would be 46.

And, “What is the science dedicated to the study of fungi?”

“Fungiology!” submitted one student enthusiastically, though mycology was the correct answer.

Just across the hallway, in the “DNA: The Secret Code” session, another group of campers watched a video about how DNA, which stores our biological information, might just be the future of data storage in other ways.

Corporations such as Microsoft have invested in research studies showing how deoxyribonucleic acid can be used to store data. DNA seems perfect for it, since it doesn’t degrade over time (its half-life is 500 years and, in a dark environment, could last hundreds of thousands of years), and it is compact, so lots of data can be stored. According to a March 4, 2017, article on futurism.com, “just four grams of DNA can contain a year’s worth of information produced by all of humanity combined.”

Mind blown.

A camper replicates the DNA code of a living organism using colored beads. Campers put together beaded bracelets to represent the DNA codes of everything from a corpse flower to a Madagascar hissing cockroach and flesh-eating microbe.

Students also made yet one more piece of scientifically cool jewelry — DNA bracelets.

They used four different colored beads to strand together the DNA code for various living things, from a chimpanzee to a butterfly and a giant hissing cockroach, though the DNA code for the corpse flower seemed to be the class favorite.

“That one and the spitting cobra,” Brianne Sprehe said with a laugh. The GCU junior, who wore temporary DNA tattoos on her face just for fun, is studying to be a physician assistant and helmed the “DNA: The Secret Code” camp session along with two other University students.

Lane Cejka opted to strand together a DNA bracelet representing the coding for a flesh-eating microbe because: “It sounds awesome.”

Cejka, who attends Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, offers up a definitive answer to why he chose to attend the Thunder Vision STEM Day Camps: “I think science is really fascinating,” though DNA storage might not be in his future. “I want to be a computer scientist,” he said.

Zoe Rider, 13, of Trivium Preparatory Academy, who was stringing beads to replicate the corpse flower DNA code, aims to be a forensic scientist and said she picked these camps because they looked like fun. Her favorite activity so far: “Cutting out the enzymes to make the cancer-fighting plant-based thing.”

Translation: She loved when campers genetically engineered a plasmid — a small circular piece of DNA that replicates independently from the host’s chromosomal DNA — via a paper transformation activity to move a cancer-fighting gene from a plant into a bacterial plasmid.

The stringy white material that rises to the top is the DNA.

Chalmers wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up, and Montoya said she wants to be “a lot of things. I want to get a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, a doctorate in medicine and a master’s in law.”

Carol Lippert, SEA’s new Executive Director, said the purpose of these summertime Thunder Vision camps is “to bring STEM education to our middle school kids. It’s a nice alternative for summer programming for our community.”

Sprehe said what she has loved about teaching these campers is, “Really seeing how passionate these kids are about science. A lot of them already have a lot of knowledge about science.”

GCU mechanical engineering major Maddie Bradshaw, a volunteer in the University’s Learning Lounge, also helped teach the “DNA: The Secret Code” session with Sprehe.

She was amazed, she said, by the quality of the campers’ responses during their session: “You can tell this is something they’re interested in. … When I was their age, STEM wasn’t something that was prominent. It’s just fun seeing how engaged the kids get.”

It’s a busy time for SEA, which also is conducting a Code.org event this week and is preparing for SparkU next week for teachers in their fourth through seventh years of teaching. That means yet more summertime learning — even if DNA necklaces likely won’t be on the agenda.

You can reach GCU senior writer Lana Sweeten-Shults at lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu or at 623-639-7901.

The post DNA gets A-OK from GCU STEM campers appeared first on GCU Today.

GCU News Bureau

America’s Favorite Mascot, along with his entourage of GCU cheerleaders in tow, spent some quality time preparing families at UMOM for the new school year. The charity specializes in helping transform the lives of homeless families around the Valley, and this event was no exception. They decorated cookies and painted faces, and each child also received a backpack full of supplies and a gift card to purchase new shoes for school! UMOM Volunteer Manager Robin Telle praised GCU, saying, “The Spirit Team was amazing! They brought their game — lots of energy and fun. The kids loved them, and the parents did, too!”

The post Slideshow: GCU cheers on UMOM back-to-school event appeared first on GCU Today.

Dr. Deb Wade

By Dr. Deb Wade
GCU Vice President, Counseling and Psychological Services

We recently got a new puppy, a Golden doodle named “Goldee,” and immediately we went about securing the yard and “puppy-proofing” the house so that she would be protected.

As cute as a little ball of curls, she is innocent, curious, playful … and it is our job to keep her safe! Some of those extremes we went to in order to keep her safe were not cheap … but oh, so worth it!

Here is the truth: We protect the things, people, situations in our lives that we deem important. It is human nature, borne out of compassion, love, sensitivity and connection, that propels us to go to any extreme to secure that which has value to us.

Our children … we keep vigilant watch over them, making sure that they are secure, safe and growing up in a healthy environment. To a much lesser degree, we pay extra careful attention to our prized belongings and are intentional in their security.

What about our marriages? Certainly, horizontally speaking, the marriage covenant is the most precious relationship we have. It is the one that should trump all others in terms of endeavor, intentional deposits and caretaking.

From my chair as a therapist, too often I encounter couples who have let their marriages get stale, have not invested consistently in their growth, and yet find themselves somewhat bewildered by the emptiness they feel in their hearts.

Sadly, it is then that the marriage is most at risk. When one does not feel filled, connected, secure and content in marriage, it is too easy to begin to look outside the marriage for that fulfillment.

To fill the “hole,” couples can find themselves seeking pleasures in other things (hobbies, purchases, activities) that can seem benign on the surface but can be very damaging on a deeper level. Why? Because it is easy for an innocent distraction to become a threatening force to the marriage in such a subtle way that it surprises all concerned.

So, to that end, let’s put a fence around our marriages! Let’s protect the precious investment we have made in building a life with our mate. Whatever the “cost,” when we have something of value, we must build fences, make it “affair-proof” and protect that which is so valuable … our marriages! How? Some tips:

• Build your marriage on the Rock! When marriage is indeed a covenant with God, we then assume the responsibility to keep it healthy, filled, and honoring.
• Keep stoking the fire of your romance! Be fun, spontaneous, flirty and playful.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff! Choose the battles in marriage … let the small stuff go.
• On the other hand, small stuff can become big stuff! Don’t ignore subtleties that will make your spouse feel special and truly loved.
• Play! Laugh! Make memories! Create adventure and opportunity. This can occur on a European cruise or during a fun game of Scrabble. Whatever it is, do it with gusto and laugh out loud!
• Choose to fall in love … again and again! Remember, sometimes love is not a feeling but a choice! So choose to see your mate through the eyes of your youth … and fall in love again!

Yes, we take care to protect our children, our puppies, our investments and our possessions. Let’s also intentionally pursue the profound protection of our most precious horizontal relationship … OUR MARRIAGES!

The post Dr. Deb’s Mental Health Vitamin: Healthier marriages appeared first on GCU Today.

Connie Colbert

By Connie Colbert
Director, Canyon Health and Wellness Clinic

Do you have daytime sleepiness? Wake up frequently at night? Snore? Have morning headaches?

These could be signs of a disorder called sleep apnea. While there are groups of people who are more prone to sleep apnea, it can occur in anyone.

Sleep apnea can be a serious disorder in which a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. This can occur in some people hundreds of times per night. This can lead to a lack of oxygen in the brain and other parts of the body and in time result in medical conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, chronic headaches and stroke.

Here are some common symptoms:

• Waking up with a very sore or dry throat
• Loud snoring
• Occasionally waking up with a choking or gasping sensation
• Daytime sleepiness or lack of energy during the day
• Feeling sleepy while driving
• Morning headaches
• Restless sleep
• Forgetfulness, mood changes and decreased libido
• Recurrent awakenings or insomnia
• Not feeling refreshed after proper hours of sleep
• Silent pauses in breathing

The risk factors are:

• Being male (males are diagnosed with sleep apnea more often; recent studies show that women’s night symptoms are less noticeable and are often not diagnosed as quickly)
• Being overweight
• Over 40 years old
• Large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or greater in women)
• Large tonsils or large tongue
• Family history of sleep apnea
• Gastrointestinal reflux
• Nasal issues because of deviated septum, allergies or chronic sinus problems

The symptoms and risks factors vary in every individual. If you are having a few of these symptoms or have a concern, do not hesitate to discuss this with your health care provider.

Sleep apnea is a diagnosed by a sleep study that can be ordered by your health care provider via a referral to a sleep center.

Treatment for sleep apnea varies. You and your health care provider can decide together which best fits your condition and lifestyle.

A few treatments are:

• CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is a mask that is worn at night to keep the airways open to assure regular breathing
• Dental devices that can be designed by your dentist to keep the airway open during sleep
• Surgery to correct problems such as enlarged tonsils, nasal problems and facial or throat problems that contribute to obstruction

Lifestyle changes can help with mild causes of sleep apnea:

• Lose weight
• Avoid alcohol and sleeping pills
• Stop smoking
• Avoid sleeping on your back

The post Fitness Facts: Sleep apnea appeared first on GCU Today.

David Akwa, a junior, created a distinctive contrast.

Emma Ahern and Amanda Dinger show their creations.

By Theresa Smith
GCU News Bureau

Black birds flying at sunset, a baby blue narwhal, green prickly pear cactus, symbols of Arizona overlaid atop symbols of California – as evidenced by a handful of paintings, inspiration poured down more heavily than the rainstorm outside GCBC last week. At the first-ever Paint Night, creativity and social connections flourished among Grand Canyon University summer school students. The refreshments were a hit, too.

“It was actually really nice in there,’’ new student KJ Adams said. “I was expecting a cookie tray, but there was a nice spread: a cheese platter, crackers, tons of cookies. Everything was decorated too. We walked in and I thought it was a meeting for someone else. I thought, ‘Is this the right place?’ ‘’

KJ Adams painted a gift for her coach.

It was exactly the right place, proving to be the perfect way for Adams to experience the welcoming, friendly atmosphere that defines Lopes spirit. Adams, who will start her freshman year in August, came to campus early from her hometown of Houston to take one summer school class, work a youth volleyball camp and participate in voluntary volleyball drills before the start of official practice next month.

She painted a pineapple, unaware of the GCU connection to the fruit that was established by the Havocs, the University’s student cheering section, particularly Titus Converse, the pineapple-eating, diaper-wearing Havoc. Instead, she was creating a gift for volleyball assistant coach Ari Aganus, who loves pineapples and adheres to the saying Adams painted: “Be a pineapple, stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside.’’

Her teammate, Kayla Redfield, a junior setter from Highland, Calif., found her artistic muse thanks to the variety of tools at her disposal.

From left, Kaira Moss, Emma Ahern, Meme Fletcher, Molly Feldmeth, Kayla Redfield, Tressa Schuler and Maria Adams channel creative juices on Paint Night.

“There were full-on canvases for us,’’ she said. “They had all types of paint brushes, all the paint you can imagine.’’

Including 10 volleyball players, there were approximately 65 students at the event, according to organizer Kayleigh Holton, student activities coordinator of the Canyon Activities Board (CAB).

“As I walked around, I saw such a variety of artwork,’’ Holton said. “I was really impressed! GCU has a lot of creative and talented students. I think it goes to show that painting reaches a wide range of students. Painting can be such a relaxing and fun activity.’’

In an effort to cater to summer school students of varied interests, the event was conceived by the CAB staff.

“Our CAB Commuter Team usually does a Candy & Canvas event during the school year for commuter students, so we decided to try a Paint Night in the summer for our summer students,’’ she said. “I was quite surprised with the amount of enthusiasm and turnout, especially with the weather. It seemed like Paint Night was a stress reliever and an opportunity for students to hang out and meet new people. We set up two rows of tables, which was intentional. With two long rows, students had to sit next to people they didn’t necessarily come to the event with.’’

Sarah Hagge, a sophomore from Northridge, Calif., painted Arizona’s logo over the one from her home state.

Caleb Palmen, a junior from Spokane, Wash., painted an evergreen tree scene, as a reminder of his hometown. Typically, Palmen does not paint.

“Once I started painting it reminded me that I need to do it more often because I liked being away from social media and technology,’’ said Palmen. “It was enjoyable to be able to relax and paint whatever you feel.’’

Contact Theresa Smith at (602) 639-7457 or theresa.smith@gcu.edu.

The post Paint Night: Students’ brush with creativity appeared first on GCU Today.

Nursing students practice their skills on an interactive manikin.

By Ryan Kryska
GCU News Bureau

Grand Canyon University nursing students have posted another quarter of stellar licensure testing results, this time raising the bar to a 95.65 percent first-time pass rate.

The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is administered to nursing students after they finish their prelicensure program. It is required before nurses can obtain their professional license and begin working as a registered nurse in the field.

The GCU College of Nursing and Health Care Professions’ second-quarter score brings the University’s year-to-date rate to 92.86 percent. That’s higher than the Arizona Board of Nursing’s year-to-date statewide average of 91.89.

“For the last year and a half we have made significant improvements in the overall operation of our prelicensure program, and that has come from hiring faculty and administrative staff with strong nursing experience,” said Dr. Lisa Smith, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions.

Smith said the college also has updated its program curriculum and has increased the amount of practice time students receive in the lab.

“All of those additions have really led to a solid, high-quality prelicensure nursing program, and that’s why we are seeing these results,” Smith said. “We also have hired an NCLEX Success Manager in addition to other strong administrative staff. She really works closely with the students and with faculty, as well, in helping students be as strong as they can in their preparation for that exam.”

NCLEX Success Manager Amy Leach says she has focused on trying to engage students to use their resources.

“We’re working on messaging and marketing what they already have in terms of books and review materials. We also help them to understand the importance of standardized testing and how to get the most out of their HESI (Health Education Systems Incorporated) testing so that they can identify their strengths and weaknesses,” Leach said.

The NCLEX is adaptive, meaning subsequent questions are dependent upon the student’s answer to the previous question. Students have no idea how many questions they will be asked – it could be as few as 75 and as many as 265.

The test uses a 95 percent confidence factor and ends as soon as that is satisfied or deemed to be unreachable.

“So it actually presents the students with questions based on how they’re performing on the exam to see if they are competent in key areas,” Leach said. “The students going in don’t know what they are up against, so giving them ways to practice and prepare to be able to take 265 questions is helping them.”

She said the college has integrated NCLEX principles into the curriculum to make sure students are thinking about the test well ahead of time.

Thus far in 2018, 196 students have taken the test and 182 passed it on the first try. That’s the highest number of graduates of any nursing program in the state, which is important at a time when the industry is facing a nationwide nursing shortage.

“We have very, very strong students that are coming into the program with high GPAs, and they are performing well,” Smith said. “It speaks to the quality of our program. GCU has a long nursing history, and we have always been very, very proud of the quality of our graduates. This year’s results speak to the return of a high-quality program.”

Contact Ryan Kryska at (602) 639-8415 or ryan.kryska@gcu.edu.

The post Nursing students post stellar licensure exam rating appeared first on GCU Today.

Pastor Tim Griffin spoke at employee Chapel on Wednesday.

By Ryan Kryska
GCU News Bureau

Employees at  Chapel on Wednesday at Grand Canyon University‘s 27th Avenue Office Building were graced with a personal anecdote from Pastor Tim Griffin’s baseball career.

It was a big day in North Carolina when a young, freshman Griffin was at third base for his university. The school was playing the local minor league team, which it never had defeated. But this time, the college students were up a run in the later innings. With a man on second and third — two outs — a one-hopper headed straight to Griffin, who skipped to balance, threw and put the ball 10 rows up in the stands.

His team lost the game, sending the 18-year-old Griffin back to the dugout less than thrilled.

Unbeknownst to him, however, was that a saving grace was in the stands. Griffin had befriended an older fellow named Danny — someone who had been at the school awhile and could give him advice.

Griffin recalls looking up at him after the last inning, seeing his mentor with a squinting grin. Danny walked Griffin to the bus and reminded him that it was just a game — that there are more important things, and there’s always next time.

That counseling — that brief walk to the bus — has stuck with Griffin for years. So much so, that 30 years after last seeing Danny, Griffin found himself in North Carolina and gave his old friend a call. They met for coffee, and Griffin made sure to thank Danny for cheering him up.

Funny thing is, Danny didn’t remember talking to him after that game.

In reflection, Griffin, who referenced 2 Timothy 4:1-5, reminds us that we have no idea who we might impact — that we may never even know if we are impacting them. That “there is a ministry that God has given to all of us.”

“It’s a wonderful joy to be in His hands,” Griffin said. “He will change lives because of you.”

Contact Ryan Kryska at (602) 639-8415 or ryan.kryska@gcu.edu.

The post Pastor Griffin: ‘He will change lives because of you’ appeared first on GCU Today.

As the confetti falls, students celebrate graduating from Grand Canyon University at spring commencement in April.

As Grand Canyon University gets set to welcome the largest incoming class in its history this fall, there is plenty of good news to share.

• GCU expects roughly 7,200 new students with an average incoming GPA of more than 3.5 for fully admitted students – bringing total enrollment on the Phoenix campus to approximately 20,500. Enrollment for the online campus is more than 70,000.
• The Honors College has grown to 2,000 students, with an average incoming GPA of 4.1 this year.
• GCU produced a record of 23,177 traditional and online graduates in the 2017-18 school year.
• On July 1, the University completed its transaction to revert to the nonprofit status it held from 1949-2004.
• And, finally, the four-year graduation rate for traditional students at GCU has climbed to 58 percent for the 2014 cohort, while the graduation rate for online students sits at 65 percent. When the current management team assumed a leadership role at the University in 2008, those numbers were 40 and 48 percent, respectively.

“That is a reflection of the high-quality students that are attracted to GCU, the incredible efforts of our faculty and the tremendous amount of academic support services that are available to students once they are enrolled,” GCU President Brian Mueller said of the graduation rates. “We continue to grow as a university at an amazing rate, but we’re doing it with high-quality students and high-quality results.”

GCU, which is known for its financial transparency regarding complete costs for students, is extending that transparency by officially reporting its graduation rates for every college for both traditional and online students for the past nine years.

As shown in the accompanying chart, four-year graduation rates for all seven colleges on the ground campus exceeded 50 percent for the 2014 cohort, with a high of 64 percent for students in the College of Education. Among online students, highlights include an 84 percent graduation rate for graduate students in the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, an 83 percent grad rate for CONHCP baccalaureate students, a 78 percent grad rate for graduate students in the College of Education, and a 75 percent grad rate for graduate students in the Colangelo College of Business.

The increasing graduation rates across all programs at GCU over the past nine years coincides with the increasing quality of its students, as measured by average incoming GPA, during that same time period. Average incoming GPAs for traditional students were 2.7 in 2008 and have climbed steadily to 3.5 as GCU has increased its admission requirements.

GCU’s graduation rates reflect the performance of all types of students, including graduate students pursuing advanced degrees and undergraduate students who transfer from other institutions with earned credits.

By contrast, the graduation rates that appear on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Scorecard websites (whose data is also reflected on the Google Knowledge Panel) only considers “first-time, full-time” students, which is a small cross section of the student body at many modern universities. Many academics have pointed out that this is a flawed measurement because it excludes the aforementioned graduate students and transfer students who typically have greater degrees of academic success than those who arrive with no college experience.

That IPEDS data is even more misleading as it relates to GCU because graduate and transfer students comprise more than 75 percent of the university’s student population. Further, the IPEDS data is antiquated as it looks at a six-year trailing period that dates back to 2008 and 2009 (when GCU was a vastly different institution) and is based on a statistically meaningless sample size as it relates to GCU.

For example, IPEDS’ purported six-year graduation rate of 31 percent at GCU for the 2008 and 2009 cohorts reflects only first-time, full-time students, of which there were only 388 students. Given that GCU’s current enrollment is upwards of 90,000 students, the academic progress of a sample representing less than 0.5 percent of that population is statistically meaningless and misleading to those seeing the figure as reflective of the University and its current programs. Even back in 2008, the 388 first-time, full-time students represented a small percentage of the overall student body at that time.

“Our hope is that the Department of Education will look at the data that it is requiring universities to report to ensure that it paints an accurate and complete picture of those institutions,” Mueller said. “In the interim, we will continue to self-disclose our complete graduation rates in order to be as transparent as possible with students and families.”

In addition to the increased graduation rates, Mueller was excited about the performance of recent graduates from GCU’s nursing program. Year to date, those graduates have passed their professional licensure exam at a 92.9 percent rate on their first attempt, including a 95.7 percent pass rate in the second quarter, while the University is still producing the largest number of professional nurses of any program in Arizona.

Mueller is also looking forward to the 2018-19 school year because it will be the 10^th consecutive year in which it has frozen tuition on the ground campus. After institutional scholarships, traditional students are paying an average of $8,600 in tuition, and approximately $7,500 for room and board for those who reside on campus. Average tuition paid by online students is roughly $8,900 per year.

More telling, traditional students at GCU are incurring less debt (an average of $18,750) than the average at public universities ($25,550) and far below the average at nonprofit private universities ($32,300) or for-profit colleges ($39,950), according to data from the Institute for College Access and Success.

“When you look back at where we began in 2008, it has been a blessing to witness the remarkable success we have achieved as a university and the amazing accomplishments of our students and graduates,” Mueller said. “Better yet, we believe the best is yet to come.”

To view an enlarged version of the chart, click here.

The post GCU grad rates hit 58% for traditional students, 65% online 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.

BARON DECKER

Baron Decker

Job title: Assistant engineer

Job location: GCU Recording Studio, Building 57

What attracted you to GCU? I came to GCU originally as a student of the Worship Arts program. I was attracted to the school because of the beautiful campus and what I perceived to be a great community. I previously had worked at the studio as a student worker and was actually one of the first to be employed in the studio after the space was built in 2015. 

What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? When I have the chance, I like to fish. Canyon Lake is a favorite of mine in the Phoenix area. 

What are you passionate about? My relationship with God, music, family and friends. 

What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? I like to hit up the various coffee shops in the Valley.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I used to be a cowboy. When I was around 12-15 years old, I took to the lifestyle. I was taking horse-riding lessons while donning cowboy boots, flannels and a cowboy hat. During this time, my family built a barn where we housed horses, goats and two llamas. It was a fun time, but it didn’t last very long. That definitely was not the lifestyle I was meant for.

What are you most proud of? The jobs I get to do at GCU and at my church.

****

ALICIA KOZIMOR

Alicia Kozimor and her family

Job title: Curriculum developer

Job location: 27th Avenue, Building 71

What attracted you to GCU? As a graduate of GCU, I have experienced firsthand the hard work that went into program development and implementation in order for students to receive the education needed to be leaders in their fields. GCU also seems to run in my family — my father, sister, mother-in-law and father-in-law are all GCU alumni.

What do you do for fun and where do you find that outlet? With a 13-month-old son, my “fun” revolves around his daily activities. Currently, we enjoy watching Moana at least three times a day and visiting local splash pads.

What are you passionate about? I am passionate about education and what it can do for others. Education plays an important role in all aspects of life and should be treated as our greatest resource to share with others.

What are your favorite places or events in the Valley that you like to visit? Luci’s at the Orchard on 12th Street and Glendale. This is an outdoor coffee shop with gelato. There is also a splash pad for the kids to play in with grass and benches for lounging.

Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know: I was Little Miss San Diego Gold Coast 1995.

What are you most proud of? My husband and I had a secret unapproved wedding at Disneyland and didn’t get kicked out. We invited friends and family to meet us at the Walt Disney statue at 8:30 a.m., and my father-in-law, who is a minister, married us in under five minutes. Security caught us right away but let us finish and even brought over a photographer for us.

The post Antelope Intros: Baron Decker and Alicia Kozimor appeared first on GCU Today.

Story by Ryan Kryska
Photos by David Kadlubowski
GCU News Bureau

Phoenix Police Officer Edward Munoz stood along the bleachers in Grand Canyon University Arena, grinning toward the event floor turned department store.

Children give Thunder a high five at GCU Day

Munoz, a Phoenix native, was patiently holding two blue bags for a couple of children who were shopping for new clothes.

“I never had anything like this growing up,” said Munoz, who has been a police officer in his hometown for 40 years. “These kids see that people care about them. The people behind all this have a vision.”

Munoz was one of the hundreds of people who helped out Monday at GCU Day, the kickoff of Back-to-School Clothing Drive’s weeklong New Clothes, New Beginnings.

For the past five years, the event has turned the arena into a shopping center with seven departments. It’s all about sending the Valley’s children back to school with new shoes, uniforms, backpacks and much more.

The children are bused in by their school district and then snake through the arena with some helping hands. Next, they head upstairs where they can grab some books, eat a snack and even receive a free dental checkup. The children are preregistered for the event through their school sites.

Vincent Payne, President of the Back-To-School Clothing Drive’s board of directors, started volunteering at the event in 2002.

Volunteers help children shop for clothes at Back-to-School Clothing Drive’s event New Clothes, New Beginnings

Payne recalls a child opening his backpack one year and being elated to find a toothbrush inside because he no longer had to share one with his siblings. He remembers another boy who stuffed his shoes with newspaper so they’d fit tight.

“I always tell people this event is similar to Lay’s potato chips — you can’t do just one,” he said.

An estimated 5,000 children are expected to stroll through this week. Payne, having volunteered at the event for 16 years, has seen more than 75,000 children receive new back-to-school items, but he says seeing just one smile makes the 11-month preparation worth it.

Yes, these people literally start preparing for the next event a year ahead of time. And in some cases, as in the case of Stitches of Love, the preparation never really starts or ends.

Tucked in the back end of the arena lurks these year-rounders. The department is made up of 98 percent handcrafted items, from headbands and shirts to wallets and pants.

Stitches of Love Director Sandy Whitver says she receives handcrafted items from as far away as Connecticut and estimates her current stocked at 40,000 items.

“I remember my first girl ever,” Whitver said. “She was standing there and didn’t know what to do because she had never shopped for herself. A little boy one year brought his stuff back the next year and said he kept it clean so someone else could use it because it didn’t fit him anymore.”

Volunteers and children look through the rows of clothes in the Stitches of Love department.

Whitver retired after 40 years at Wells Fargo to lead this mission. She says most of the volunteers are senior citizens who find purpose in knowing that their crochet, sewing and knitting hobbies are going toward gleaming youth.

Whitver arrived at the Arena at 5 a.m. Monday. She planned to leave at 5:30 p.m. but could have been there as late as 8 p.m.

At least one person – but probably more – had an even longer day.

For the drive’s Executive Director, Karl Gentles, Monday started Sunday with a “great dinner” cooked by his wife.

Gentles made it to the Arena before 4 a.m. to put the finishing touches on the event. He said semitrailers dropped off 70 pallets of items on Friday.

“Today, there are 1,000 kids on site from a variety of districts throughout the valley,” Gentles said. “There’s a whole contingent of volunteers — 500 today — all to clear a path for these kids to go back to school prepared to learn.”

Gentles said the drive’s transition onto GCU’s campus has created an atmosphere where children can dream.

A volunteer shows a girl books at GCU Day.

“We wanted these kids to have an experience of being on a university campus,” he said. “It shows them what’s possible. That is a really important aspect of what we’re doing here.”

Gentles says running this drive is “probably one of the single most important things” he and his wife have done.

“Helping kids on the way to being successful starts now,” he said.

Every item the kids take home is brand new. The volunteers spend all day Saturday verifying the items’ condition. And it doesn’t matter if 5,000 or 10,000 children make it through — each one of them will go home with $350 worth of back-to-school gear.

Gentles said that generous number wouldn’t have been possible without the drive’s sponsors, which include title sponsor BHHS Legacy Foundation, GCU, CBS5 Arizona TV, Fiesta Bowl Charities, Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Camelback Kiwanis, Wells Fargo and others.

And then, perhaps most importantly, there are all the volunteers.

GCU faculty across the board are involved in the week of giving, which will bring children on campus from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Thursday.

College of Education Dean Dr. Kimberly LaPrade is interacting with kids by signing copies of her children’s book, “Thunder’s Vision.” GCU trustee Dr. Jim Rice is running the drive’s shoe section, something he has helped with for the past 12 years.

COE Dean Dr. Kimberly LaPrade signs her book, “Thunder’s Vision.”

Among the others who dedicated their time was GCU nursing enrollment advisor Ron Johnwell. He helped size the kids before they shopped.

“This was my first time volunteering for this event. I love it,” Johnwell said. “Growing up, I was one of these kids. I grew up with a single mother and eight siblings.”

Johnwell’s 11-year anniversary at GCU will be in October. He remembers eating lunch under an oak tree that used to sit where the Arena now stands, and he noted other significant campus changes, mainly its improved curb appeal. But he says what hasn’t changed is what the people in purple do.

“It’s been amazing to be a part of the mission,” he said.

Contact Ryan Kryska at (602) 639-8415 or ryan.kryska@gcu.edu.

****

Related content:

KTAR (92.3 FM): Back-to-school drive starts Phoenix-area students off on right foot

GCULopes.com: Lopes aid at clothing drive

The post GCU Arena transforms into back-to-school paradise appeared first on GCU Today.

Dr. Ramesh Velupillaimani presented his research findings recently at an international photosynthesis research symposium in Uppsala, Sweden.

GCU News Bureau

College of Science, Engineering and Technology Professor Dr. Ramesh Velupillaimani presented his research findings this summer at the First European Congress on Photosynthesis Research, ePS-1 A Marcus Wallenberg Symposium, in Uppsala, Sweden.

His research involved an ultrafast spectroscopic approach to study how green alga captures and converts solar energy into chemical energy.

His research involved an ultrafast spectroscopic approach to study how green alga (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii), a miniature marvel, captures and converts solar energy into chemical energy. The ultimate goal of this research is the production of fuel directly from the energy of the sun, through natural or artificial photosynthesis, to help meet the world’s energy requirements.

During the conference, Velupillaimani visited the homes of two world-famous scientists: Linnaeus Garden and Museum in Uppsala, where Carl Linnaeus lived and worked for almost 50 years — he developed the system for classifying and naming all living things; and the Mendel Museum of Masaryk University at Brno, Czech Republic, home of Gregor Mendel, who was an ordained priest and is known as the “Father of Genetics.”

Velupillaimani at Linnaeus Garden and Museum next to a statue of scientist Carl Linnaeus.

The post CSET professor presents research in Sweden appeared first on GCU Today.

Dr. Deb Wade

Dr. Deb Wade
GCU Vice President, Counseling and Psychological Services

Have you ever noticed the proliferation of signs that dot our streets and thoroughfares? The other day, perhaps in one of my more cerebral moments, I began to consider what our life journey would be like if similar signs were posted along “life’s highway.” As we navigate down our highway of life, what would some of the familiar signs mean? I came up with some ideas; I welcome yours!  Imagine with me … 

                “YIELD” – How handy this would be in the middle of a conflict, when there seems to be no apparent hope of solution in sight and there is increased escalation each moment, to be told when and how to end it? Just yield!

                “LANE ENDS, MERGE LEFT” – How helpful to have advanced notice that the choice you’re about to make is going nowhere productive and you are about to end up in a ditch … then, to be assisted with the next direction change and happily continue with your journey.

                “STOP” – When life becomes overwhelming, the pace is furious and energy expended seems unfocused and lacks direction, this command leaves little to misinterpretation – just stop and breathe!

                “NARROW BRIDGE AHEAD” – Oh, to be warned when the most valued of relationships is strained – and needs extra tending, comforting and reassuring. Just saddle up together along the narrowness of this life issue …  and survive it, together!

                “DANGEROUS CURVES AHEAD” – Whoops! Life has become tricky, temptation abounds, common sense has gone haywire – a neon sign to warn, caution and re-direct would sure restore sanity.

                “DIP” – Just when a comfort zone gets cozy, life seems grand and all is predictable, a notice to warn of turbulence ahead could certainly allow time to fasten the seat belt of life and prepare for the uncertainty of the path ahead.

                “SPEED LIMIT” – To guard against an erratic pace, an over-spirited tempo or even a lethargic lull, a reminder that a steadfast, focused, predictable stride for the safest and surest journey would help everyone.

                “NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH” – How wonderful to be reminded to care for one another, attend to each other’s needs, stay attentive and be vigilant and alert toward others.

                “PRIVATE DRIVE” – Even in the most hectic of schedules, in the most demanding of lifestyles, it’s important to remember that private moments can serve to center, to calm, to restore and to unruffle.

Yes, signs and reminders could certainly serve a fascinating purpose in our quest to navigate along some uncertain highways and freeways of life. Why? Life can be harsh, can be difficult, can be hazardous, can be threatening and can be full of potholes and uncertainty. Surrounding each of us are myriad choices, valued and esteemed relationships, risks and ruts, challenges and chance. Heed the signs! And remember, if you miss one, it’s always OK to stop and ask for directions.

The post Dr. Deb’s Mental Health Vitamin: The highway of life appeared first on GCU Today.

Connie Colbert

By Connie Colbert
Director, Canyon Health and Wellness Clinic

It’s even hotter than it was last month when this subject was addressed here, so it’s appropriate to offer some reminders about ways to avoid heat-related illnesses. Prevention is key!

Tips from the Center for Disease Control (CDC):

• Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing that is loose fitting.
• Stay in air-conditioning as much as possible.
• Limit outdoor activities to when it is coolest, such as early morning or evening. If exertion makes your heart pound in the heat, STOP, get to a shady area and rest.
• Drink more fluids (non-alcoholic). Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink.
• Avoid hot and heavy meals.
• If you are going to be in the heat, do not drink liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar. These cause you to lose more body fluid.
• If you are planning an outdoor event, hydrate the day before and during the event.
• Check the news for extreme heat days and plan indoor activities.
• Avoid very cold drinks; they might cause stomach cramps.
• NEVER leave anyone in a vehicle.
• If you need to be in the heat or exercise outside, limit your amount of outside activity and drink 2-4 glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat, but remember to limit the ones with a large amount of sugar.
• Always take a buddy if you are hiking, working out or are going to be in the heat for long periods of time. Check in with each other throughout the event.
• Rest in shady areas.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes, a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (make sure you purchase one that protects against UVA/UVB rays).

If you start to experience symptoms while you are in the heat, such as dizziness, headache, muscle spasms or confusion, you might be experiencing a heat-related illness.

For more information and specific treatment, see what the CDC has to say:

https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html

The post Fitness Facts: How to beat the extreme heat appeared first on GCU Today.

GCU Dance Coach Jacque Genung-Koch led the 2018 Lopes to a fourth-place finish in jazz at the UDA Nationals, the Super Bowl of college dance team competition.

By Theresa Smith
GCU News Bureau

In sync with every leap and spin, executing each step with precise timing, the Grand Canyon University dance team meets the highest standards. When the 2018-19 edition makes its debut next month at Welcome Week’s Lope-A-Palooza, expectations will skyrocket again. The Lopes community expects to see flawless, dynamic movements.

Preparation for 32 young ladies to form a dazzling team began in mid-April when Dance coach Jacque Genung-Koch soaked up refined techniques at the Varsity Dance Coach national conference. It gathered steam from May to July as dancers maintained their strength, conditioning, agility and skills in private workouts in their hometowns. It will escalate Friday when the returning dancers move back to campus for training and Monday when the rookie dancers arrive.

A shift into overdrive begins when a subset of the team participates in a camp in Las Vegas, followed by full squad participation in a national camp at the University of California-Santa Barbara. The intense training period will serve the squad throughout the school year, from campus and community outreach, to timeout routines at men’s and women’s basketball games, unique performances at baseball games and national competition.

While many of the talented women move on to Cardinals Cheer Squad, Laker Girls and Suns Dancers, among post-graduate opportunities, and others enter careers in business, nursing and education, etc., the mainstay is Genung-Koch. She is the keeper of a flame that symbolizes excellence. In six years under her direction, the dance team has built a stellar reputation.

Last spring, in the team’s first year of Division I eligibility,  it claimed a fourth-place finish in the jazz category at Universal Dance Association (UDA ) nationals, behind the University of Delaware, Cal State Fullerton and Hofstra University. Moreover, in a regional event, the United Spirit Association (USA), it placed third behind the University of Oregon and San Diego State.

In recognition of her rising status in the college dance pantheon, Genung-Koch was selected as the keynote speaker at the inaugural national conference April 13-14 in Dallas. Her topic was collaboration within a spirit program — the dance coach’s role in the integration of cheer, dance, band, student section and mascot.  

“It is something we excel at, at GCU, working all together: cheer, band, dance, Havoc leaders and Thunder,’’ she said.

With help from Barry Buetel, Executive Director of Broadcasting/Sponsorships, who prepared a video of performances integrating all entities, Genung-Koch showed visual examples amid her 45-minute speech to an audience of more than 200 college and high school dance coaches. She explained how all the spirit entities work well together, communicating and playing to their strengths. In her case, it is a collaborative effort with Cheer coach Emily Stephens, Havocs and Thunder liaison Helen Bleach, Vice President of Campus Events and Arena Operations, and band director Paul Koch, who just happens to be her husband.

Jacque Genung-Koch and her husband, band leader Paul Koch, have worked at the same high schools and colleges.

Genung-Koch, a former Arizona State dancer, also spoke at a breakout session about the importance of dance coaches building positive relationships with their administration.

“We’ve got such a crazy supportive administration here,’’ Genung-Koch said. “We are so blessed, so I was able to present on what works.’’

Leading and learning

After sharing her expertise, Genung-Koch went to work learning from her peers in preparation for the 2018-19 season. She took a technique class on aerials (no hands cartwheel) from Texas Tech coach Erin Alvarado, who shared videos of her dancers’ crisp execution.

”We compete against each other at nationals, so the fact that coaches are opening up their tips and their tricks and sharing with one another is such a positive environment,’’ Genung-Koch said.

It will be a different atmosphere next spring.

“At the competition you’re cordial to one another and of course you’re kind, but you want your team to win,’’ she said firmly.

Genung-Koch also took a turns class from Ohio State coach Melissa McGhee, featuring pirouettes and a la seconde  — turning while holding one leg out to the side. Since most college dancers have been taking lessons since preschool or intensely drilling with club or high school teams, the challenge is not teaching the technique, it is fine-tuning it in a singular style.

“It is going to look different because they are from all over the nation, so it is taught different ways,’’ Genung-Koch said. “I am not teaching technique, I am trying to get my dancers to do the same type of technique. So it is really fine-tuning and cleaning, and Coach Eustice gave us some great tips.’’

Genung-Koch also enjoyed a class on supporting dancers in all aspects of their lives, including academically and emotionally. It was presented by University of Michigan coach Valerie Stead Potsos.

“She is one of the most phenomenal coaches I’ve ever had the pleasure to get to know, and she has the biggest heart on supporting other coaches,’’ Genung-Koch said.

Potsos, the 18th-year coach of a perennial power, is impressed by Genung-Koch’s expertise and the rise of the Lopes program.

“Jacque is an innovative coach and is transforming the program at GCU,’’ Potsos said. “She believes in developing students, not only as dancers but as professional young women.  She is creative and inspiring to her athletes.  I am proud of the progress she has made so far, and I am excited to see what else she can accomplish with her team.”

Strength in numbers

Genung-Koch is eagerly awaiting the dancers’ return to campus.

“There’s a lot of excitement and anticipation going into this year,’’ she said. “We move our student-athletes onto campus early to start to develop our team style and our team presentation.’’

The 2016-17 dance team with Genung-Koch

For starters, she is coaching more student-athletes, 32 as opposed to 26 the past three years and 14 dancers in her first three seasons, beginning in 2012-13. As the campus grew, so did the demands on the dancers, who perform at a myriad of events.

“It really helps to have more dancers, so we divide and conquer with more events on campus and in the community, and we have a squad performing here at games while the rest of the squad is competing at nationals,’’ Genung-Koch said.

Not all the rookies are freshmen — one is a sophomore who did not make the team last year, and a few are transfer students. Half of the team is from out of state, particularly California, Colorado and Nevada.

“We’ll hit the ground running,’’ said Genung-Koch, explaining that GCU’s unique dance routine for every home basketball game requires the squad to devise a plethora of moves.  

Although Bleach and Stephens have told Genung-Koch that she does not need to prepare new choreography for every home game and she even has suggested to her lead dancers that they drop the unusual tradition, the dance team has chosen to continue it because it is a point of pride and part of their reputation.

“We need a lot of material, so we go to two camps to bring back material for the year, ‘’ Genung-Koch said. “And we love when the Havocs come up with themed games, so we can create routines or adjust them to our routine. It gives us inspiration.  It is hard to come up with the next cool move. It is hard to come up with 15 of the best dances ever.’’

The 2018-19 dance team shortly after April 2018 tryouts

Game Day the priority

While the team competed in jazz at UDA nationals last spring, next spring it will also enter Game Day, a division added in 2018 that requires teams to perform a short timeout routine, a sideline dance, a chant and their fight song. It reflects the core priorities of the GCU program.

“We are first and foremost a Game Day team, meaning our effort and energy and time is predominantly spent on preparing and polishing material for GCU athletic events and appearances,’’ Genung-Koch said. “That material spans from technical dance expertise when executing collegiate level dance skills for routines, to the little details necessary to look polished (how to pick up pom poms after a free throw, following subtle cues from captains for the next sideline dance, knowing how to rally and engage the crowd).

“Each of the 32 dancers are equally responsible to excel in all Game Day aspects – from our rookies to our fifth-year members. We work hard to look like ONE team rather than 32 dancing individuals. We’re excited to jump into this new category and demonstrate the spirit and game day atmosphere we have for GCU. ‘’

Picture a game night in November: As the cheer team, Thunder and her dancers entertain, her husband leads the band in a GCU Arena packed with fans and Havocs. Surveying the scene, Jacque Genung-Koch will marvel at her dancers lock step moves born of countless hours of repeated practice routines, and she will re-state her bottom line: “It is worth it. It is fun. I have the best job in the world.’’

Contact Theresa Smith at (602) 639-7457 or theresa.smith@gcu.edu.

****

Related content:

GCU Today: Cheer, Dance teams and Thunder earn more hurrahs.

The post Dance Whisperer Genung-Koch has team on move appeared first on GCU Today.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” — Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

By Chris Jennings
GCU Life Leader Coordinator

When I read this I instantly think, “What a cliché Bible verse!” This Old Testament reference has been stamped on everything from Christian coffee mugs to your grandma’s favorite embroidered throw pillow.

But Christian clichés are clichés for a reason. Although they might seem overused or corny to some, they usually stem from deep truths that upon further study can reveal the depths of God’s heart.

This verse is found smack dab in the middle of a letter written by the prophet Jeremiah to the Israelite people, who recently had been taken captive by the Babylonian Empire. Their situation was heartbreaking. They were surrounded by darkness and forced into an environment that directly contradicted their deeply held religious convictions and way of life.

The exile chipped away at their hope as they struggled to see God’s plan in the midst of their tragedy. However, when all seemed hopeless, Jeremiah delivered an encouraging word from the Lord:

“This is what the Lord says: ‘When 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to (Israel). For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.’”

Just when the Israelites felt forgotten and abandoned by God, He swiftly reassured them of his promises, encouraging them to hold fast to their faith. He never promised that their journey would be easy. Instead, He gave them hope that even in their darkest moments, He would never leave them.

Let’s face it, most of us haven’t been taken captive by an evil empire, and we most likely never will. But there’s no doubt that we all experience dark seasons in our lives.

Whether it’s the despair of a loved one’s death or the simple annoyance of a flat tire on the freeway, difficulty is an inevitable part of the human experience. In moments such as these, it is challenging to see God’s plan.

But what’s beautiful about this story is that God actually came through on his promise! After the 70 years were complete, he delivered his people from the exile and they returned to their promised land. Although their journey was long, God never gave up on his people.

We serve that same God today, the One who loves and fights for His people, the One who never leaves or forsakes those who love Him. He is always faithful and true to His promises, and even though facing the challenges of life is never easy, we know that we can lean upon the Father, trusting that He is with us every step of the way.

In the midst of heartache, we might not understand the complexity of God’s plan, but we can look to this cliché Bible verse to remind us of the depth of His faithfulness and love.

The post Theology Thursday: A cliche but oh so true appeared first on GCU Today.