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

It may only be July, but Grand Canyon University‘s College of Fine Arts and Production is already busy planning theater productions, dance concerts and choral performances for the 2012-2013 year. Here’s a look at what’s to come from the Music Department:

Masterworks Concert
Friday, October 26, 2012
7:00 PM
The First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix

Students and Faculty of the Music Department present a program of Choral Masterworks. The concert features the Canyon Chorale, The New Live Singers, The Canyon Singers, students and faculty soloists on a program that include motets, part songs, anthems, madrigals, and spirituals, from renaissance to the twentieth century with music by Duruflé, Bruckner, Biebl, Fauré, Parry, Thompson, and Reinberger amongst other.

This event is free and open to the public

A Grand Canyon Christmas
Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 6:00 PM
The First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix

Come and join students and faculty of the Music Department for their annual Christmas Concert. The concert features the Canyon Chorale, The New Live Singers, The Canyon Singers, a Ten-Piano ensemble, students and faculty soloists on a program that includes Gerald Finzi’s  Dies Natalis and Vaughan Williams fantasia on Christmas carols performed by GCU’s Choral Union and Orchestra, along with a wide variety of Christmas carols, Anthems and other Christmas favorites. Come Celebrate Christmas with us!

This event is free and open to the public

Handel’s Messiah
Featuring
The Phoenix Symphony
GCU’s High school and Community College Festival Chorus
GCU Choral Union
Thursday, December 6 and 7, 7:00
GCU Arena

Grand Canyon University, The College of Fine Arts and Production and The Music Department proudly present The Phoenix Symphony performing Handel’s Messiah with GCU’s High school and Community College Festival Chorus and GCU’s Choral Union. Come and enjoy more than 500 musicians on stage performing  Handel’s masterwork.

This event is ticketed. For ticket information and purchase visit http://www.gcuarena.com/

Opera and Broadway Concert
Friday, February 22, 7:00
The First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix

The music department presents a program of Opera and Broadway favorites featuring The Canyon Chorale, The Canyon Singers, The New Life Singers, students and faculty soloists.

This event is free and open to the public

Choral Union Concert
Tuesday, April 23, 7:00PM
The First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix

The Music department presents a performance of Gabriel Faure’s Requiem  and Arvo Pärt’s Te Deum, performed by the Grand Canyon Choral Union and Orchestra, with students and faculty soloists

This event is free and open to the public

Awards and Commencement Concert
Wednesday, May 1, 7:00PM
The First Southern Baptist Church of Phoenix

Come and enjoy this “Best of the Best” program at our awards concert.  The Canyon Chorale, The New Life Singers, The Canyon Singers, and student soloists  will perform a wide variety of musical selections including some of the best musical performances of the year, along with command performances by some of our most outstanding students. Join us as we honor our excellent graduates along with some of the best performance students of the year.

About the Author: Dr. Cheryl Roat is an Associate Dean/Associate Professor for the College of Nursing at Grand Canyon University. Dr. Roat has over 40 years of experience in the field of nursing.

This past month we observed Nurses week, which ended on Florence Nightingale’s Birthday — May 12.  It’s an observance that has taken several decades to put into place.  As early as 1953, Dorothy Sutherland of the U. S. Department of Health sent a proposal to President Eisenhower to proclaim a “Nurse Day” to be held October of the following year which was not supported at that time. In spite of this, National Nurse Week was observed October 11-16, 1954 marking the 100^th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s mission to Crimea.  In 1974, the International Council of Nurses proclaimed May 12, Florence Nightingale’s birthday, as “International Nurse Day.”  In February 1974 President Richard Nixon proclaimed a National Nurse Week.  With support from New Mexico nurses, American Nurses’ Association (ANA), and President Reagan signing a proclamation in 1982, we now have “National Recognition Day for Nurses” designated May 6.  In 1993, The ANA Board of Directors designated May 6 – 12 National Nurses’ Week (nursingsworld.org)

Each year, the ANA develops a logo to celebrate nurses and all that they do. The 2012 theme was “Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring”.  Nurses are the consumers’ advocate as they care for people across the life span in a variety of settings around the globe and as they educate the public to navigate through the health care system. Nurses can be described as well-educated, highly skilled, trustworthy, and caring in everything they do.  They are leaders who influence health care policy with the priority and commitment of keeping the public safe when it comes to health care. Nurses touch the heart, mind, body, and soul as they provide holistic care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. They function as change agents as they strive to improve health and provide the best nursing care.  Nurses may serve in many roles as they advance their education: practitioner, educator, leader, and researcher.

There are 3.1 million registered nurses in America (nursingworld.org).  Arizona has more than 72,000 registered nurses (azbn.gov). Who is a nurse that has impacted your life?  Is it the RN who was at your side supporting you when you gave birth to your children, the nurse who cared for a dying loved one? Or is it the nurse who took action that made your life better or even saved your life? As a nurse of 41 years, I believe I can say that nurses do not ask for more in return than that you take care of yourself so you can take care of others in your life.