Did you know that GCU holds a Chapel service every Monday morning at 10:45 a.m. and theGathering, an evening worship time, on Tuesday at 8 p.m.?

Chapel streams live on our YouTube channel every week, and you can always go back to the Chapel playlist and re-watch past services.

Our hope is to continually provide students with a way to explore and grow in their relationship with Christ, and Chapel and theGathering are just a few of those ways. You can find out more about the weekly services, including the schedule of upcoming speakers. You can also find out more about Spiritual Life at GCU.

There are many components that weigh into college applications. While most universities require a non-refundable application processing fee, Grand Canyon University does not have an application fee. Admissions decisions can vary widely from institution to institution so it is important to do your research and determine exactly what is required to be considered for admission to each school you are applying to.  Some universities require applicants to submit the application along with a personal statement and letters of recommendation.  Most universities require either SAT or ACT scores and some prefer one over the other. GCU requires you to have a 3.0 GPA OR a Composite Score of 19 on the ACT OR a score of 920 on the SAT with no essay requirement.

Each application varies in terms of the required information. Some universities require you to list which subjects you have taken in high school (for instance, which Math, English, Science, Government, and Foreign Language) as well as what grade you received. GCU does not require this level of detail on their application.

Perhaps the most important factor in applying to colleges is making sure to meet the deadline. Early application deadlines are important because many institutions have a limited number of students they can accept each year.  Applying early can put you in prime position to snag one of the coveted and highly-competitive spots.  However, if you are considering applying for early admission or by the priority deadline, you should check with the school prior to doing so because accepting the school’s offer to attend may be a binding decision.  Many schools will still consider applications after the priority deadline but research must be done on each school to ensure the requirements are being met.

Another consideration is that most schools have limited funding when it comes to institutional aid and usually award these scholarships on a first-come, first-serve basis to those who have already applied and been accepted.  This is a major reason to apply for admission as early as possible. However, GCU does not have a limited number of scholarships available to eligible students like some state and endowment funded institutions. This means all students who meet minimum eligibility requirements will be awarded.

For more information about applying to GCU visit http://ow.ly/fa4cD

These announcements feature many great resources and events each week, and provide a way for you to see all the latest information.  Check back weekly for the newest announcements!

Highlights for this week:

• If your midterms are over, relax but also plan for the rest of the semester.
• Join a student club!
• Go to the Fall Festival and North Campus Nightmare: Haunted House.

Click here to view the announcements!

These announcements feature many great resources and events each week, and provide a way for you to see all the latest information.  Check back weekly for the newest announcements!

Highlights for this week:

• Don’t forget to sleep!
• Flu season is approaching.  The Health Services office has you covered.
• Go to Beauty and the Beast & Comedy on the Bridge at Ethington Theatre.

Click here to view the announcements!

If you are a freshman, your instructors have probably been giving weekly announcements related to the First Year Experience program.

The announcements feature many great resources and events each week and we wanted to provide a way for you to see all the information when you are not in class.  Check back weekly for the latest announcements from the FYE team!

Highlights for this week:

• Review your graded assignments
• Talk to a reference librarian
• Go to Lip-Sync on Thursday!

Click here to view the announcements!

If you are a freshman, your instructors have probably been giving weekly announcements related to the First Year Experience program.

The announcements feature many great resources and events each week and we wanted to provide a way for you to see all the information when you are not in class.  Check back weekly for the latest announcements from the FYE team!

Highlights for this week:

• Sign-up for a Success Webinar
• Learn more about the Student Recreation Center
• Go to Movie on the Lawn on Thursday!

Click here to view the announcements!

If you are a freshman  your instructors have probably been giving weekly announcements related to the First Year Experience program.

The announcements feature many great resources and events each week and we wanted to provide a way for you to see all the information when you are not in class.  Check back weekly for the latest announcements from the FYE team!

Highlights for this week:

• The new emergency text alert system
• Discover where to find upcoming events from Student Life
• Go to Java Jam next Saturday!

Click here to view the announcements!

Hello Freshmen!  Welcome to your first year at Grand Canyon University!  We look forward to all of the great things you will do during your time here and seeing all of you grow as servant leaders.

GCU is a BIG place with lots of things to do on campus. In order to help become familiar the many types of events on campus, the Freshman Year Experience staff has developed a “Freshman Firsts” calendar for the fall semester that highlights many events on campus. You can find the calendar at the Freshman Year Experience website or directly here.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, and some events on the calendar also happen throughout the semester, but this will give you an idea of just how diverse the events on campus are.  There is something for everyone!

What other events do you think the university should be sponsoring?  Feel free to comment below!

For more information you can contact the Freshman Year Experience team at fye@gcu.edu

About the author: Roni DeLaO Kerns is the director of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing(BSN) program at Grand Canyon University’s College of Nursing on main campus.

Students are entering the last half of the semester and are focused on the finish line. Preceptorships, practicums and capstone projects are the stepping stones to convocation, commencement and graduation celebrations.  After four years of long nights, last-minute projects and juggling multiple classes, students may think life becomes simpler after graduation with just one “job” to focus on.  Many times, the anticipated reality is not as easy as it sounds.

It is a nurse’s responsibility to come to work alert and ready to provide safe patient care. Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 4-10) is a great time to remember the impact a nurses’ fatigue can have on a patient’s safety. Fatigue can lead to lapses in attention, a lack of motivation, a decrease in problem-solving ability, confusion, irritability, impaired communication, diminished reaction time, indifference and loss of empathy.  These factors can put both patients and staff at risk.

So what steps can a new nurse take to decrease fatigue and minimize errors?

1. Establish a routine.

• Get enough sleep and take naps when necessary.
• Practice good sleeping habits; routines are important especially when working a new shift time.
• Engage in relaxing, pre-sleep habits, such as reading or yoga.
• Avoid food, alcohol or stimulants (such as caffeine) that can impact sleep.

2. Participate in a work culture that recognizes the impact of fatigue on patient care.

• Provide input into designing work schedules that minimize the potential for fatigue.
• Be supportive of other staff members when they express concerns about fatigue.
• Encourage teamwork and regular safety checks to protect patients from harm.
• Develop your skills of patient hand-offs and evaluate the effect that fatigue may have on the quality of your communications.
• Implement a fatigue management plan that may include engaged conversations, physical activity, strategic caffeine consumption and short naps (if allowed).

Dedication and commitment toward your education will pay off as you begin your career as a nurse.  Developing personal and professional practices that address self-care, encourage a balanced life, and establish good sleeping habits will help ensure that your career as a nurse is rewarding for a lifetime!

It’s easy to forget about your heart health when you’re on the go! In the daily grind of studying for that big exam, dropping the kids off at day care or rushing to get to that meeting, we often take the health of our hearts for granted.  Show your heart some extra TLC today! The American Heart Association featured an article titled “The Simple 7” that outlines seven ways to improve your heart health.

1. Get Active—Thirty minutes a day of moderate physical activity, five days a week, will lead to feeling better and living longer. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be all at once. Make time for walking in your day. Park in the far end of the parking lot or take the stairs. Take short walks during the workday. Plan a walk with a special person or canine companions when you get home from school or the office, before you get tied up with making dinner or cracking open the books.

2. Control your Cholesterol—Check your cholesterol regularly. If your total cholesterol is higher than 200mg/dL, interventions are needed. Increasing your activity decreases the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases good cholesterol (HDL) levels.  At least twice per week, include foods in your diet that can lower your cholesterol, such as oats and other high fiber foods, whole grains, beans, nuts, soy, and fish such as tuna, salmon and halibut. Olive oil can reduce harmful cholesterol, so try to substitute olive oil for other fats in your diet.

3. Eat better—A healthy diet is one of your best weapons in the war against heart disease. Keep a journal for yourself of what you are eating and drinking. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods and leave the junk food at the store. There are many ways to add flavor with spices and seasonings. Mrs. Dash is a favorite of dieticians. Cut back on salt and added sugars. Eat fish twice a week.  Include fruits and vegetable in a variety of colors in your diet every day. Increase your fiber intake with whole grains. Cut back on saturated and trans fats.  Don’t forget to drink plenty of water.

4. Manage blood pressure—High blood pressure, known as the “silent killer,” is the biggest risk factor for heart disease.  Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80. You can help lower your blood pressure by eating a heart-healthy, low-salt diet, getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and decreasing stress. Positive self-talk and relaxation techniques such as yoga, tai chi or meditation can greatly reduce stress. Breaking big problems into smaller parts can also help to reduce the feeling of added pressure and stress. In a pinch, take some deep breaths and count to ten before speaking.

5. Maintain a healthy weight—Extra weight leads to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Do you know what your calorie needs are compared to how much you’re taking in? There are several online resources for determining your caloric needs for weight maintenance and weight loss according to age and gender.  Track your calorie intake to find out where you are. Write everything down, and you may be surprised where all those extra calories are coming from!

6. Reduce blood sugar—Diabetes is one of the biggest controllable risk factors for heart disease. Obesity can lead to insulin resistance and high blood sugar. Keeping your blood sugar within normal limits is crucial to reducing the damage caused by diabetes. To help lower your blood sugar, avoid intake of simple sugars found in soda, candy and desserts. Keep close track of your overall carbohydrate intake.  Work closely with your healthcare providers to optimize your diabetes management.

7. Stop smoking—Quitting can be tough, but fortunately there are many effective methods. Whether it’s slowly, quickly or cold-turkey, do whatever it takes to stop. Identify “triggers” or habits that give you the urge to smoke. Physical urges should subside after 1-2 weeks but mental urges may be ongoing. Think about how you will cope with these urges and how you will retrain yourself. Most importantly, get some help. You don’t have to do this alone. For more information and resources, visit http://www.lungusa.org/stop-smoking/.

Find out where you stand by taking the American Heart Association’s “My Life Check” Assessment at http://mylifecheck.heart.org.

About the Author: Jennifer Overturf is the director of the BSN program at Grand Canyon University through AT Still University.