Now let’s hit over to meet Andrea Northup. She’s at GCU alumni, graduating with a degree in Business Management and a minor in Entrepreneurial Studies. She is now working for Habitat for Humanity, and she has a great message to share about what conscious capitalism means at GCU. Andrea, please take it away.
– Hi, everybody. My name’s Andrea, and I graduated from GCU a couple of years ago, and now I work for Habitat for Humanity here in Phoenix. When you’re a business student, one of the main values taught to you is this idea of conscious capitalism. And what in the world is that? At GCU, business is meant to have a higher purpose. Instead of just looking to earn a profit, business is meant to care for and serve its local community. As a student and now Habitat, I’ve been able to witness this idea of conscious capitalism firsthand. Every year, I see staff and students coming out to volunteer, and staff give financially towards these different prepare projects. The beautiful part about this relationship is that it’s a hand up, not a handout. Families actually contribute roughly one-third of the repair costs, and they also contribute a certain amount of sweat equity hours towards the completion of the repair. Every single year, GCUs staff and students come out to volunteer, and it’s such a blessing to see them interact with the different families onsite. There’ve been multiple times families have said, I can’t believe complete strangers would come and help me build on my own home, or seeing these students out here reminds me that God is still here, and that they’re still good in the world. There is even one time that GCU staff came out, and this family brought out a frying pan and made burritos for everybody that had showed up to volunteer that day. It’s these small moments that make me realize, the value just isn’t in the repair, it’s in the bringing people together to help make it happen. In these past six years of partnership, GCU has been able to serve over 300 unique families, completing over 800 repairs, contributing over 26,000 volunteer hours, and allocating over $3.8 million towards neighborhood repairs. And this idea of conscious capitalism isn’t something that just stops at the college of business. It’s embodied from the top down. Multiple times, I’ve witnessed President Brian Mueller come to volunteer on site unannounced. When he comes, he just grabs a paintbrush or a shovel and begins working alongside the next volunteer. Now, before Habitat in GCU, I participated in several different community service projects around the world. By seeing GCU and Habitat partner together, I’ve been able to learn that to love your neighbor, you don’t need to cross the border, you just need to take a drive. As business students continue to graduate from GCU, you’re going to see more businesses care for and serve their surrounding community. It’s a movement that has impact, and it’s a movement that I’m proud to be a part of. Alex, that is conscious capitalism. I’ll pass it back over to you.
– Andrea, the purpose-driven work you’re doing with Habitat for Humanity and GCU is so uplifting. That is beautiful. Thanks again for sharing your story. See you later, Andrea.
Okay everyone, let’s first head over to the Academic Quad here at Florida Tech, and meet Alyssa Carson. She’s a sophomore majoring in astrobiology. By the way, she will most likely be the first person to Mars, but you’ll hear more about that from her. And she’s going to talk to us about the unique character of Florida Tech, and how the university got its start, which is a very cool story. Okay, Alyssa, it’s all yours, take it away.
Hey, hey everyone, there’s so much that makes Florida Tech unique from all these other universities, but there is one thing that makes us truly special, and that is space. It all started in 1958, the same year that NASA was established. A physicist named Jerome P. Keuper started a small school to provide advanced education for the scientists, and engineers that were working in the US Space Program. He built it right here in Melbourne, Florida just 45 minutes away from where the rockets take off. Because of that, students at this campus have been able to watch every US space launch ever.
Absolutely no other college can claim this. Most importantly, Dr. Keuper made Florida Institute of Technology a place where visionaries and dreamers like me, could launch our career. I chose Florida Tech because one day, I want to be on a mission to Mars. There, I could study the soil, search for signs of bacterial life in the water, and study the atmosphere. To get to space, I need to become an astronaut, which means building the best resume and experience that I can get. This is something that I’ve been doing for a while now.
When I was 15, I joined Project PoSSUM, an aeronautics education program to conduct real life research. With them, I have been able to do microgravity flights, water survival training, G-Force, and spacesuit evaluations. I’ve also gotten my pilot’s license, and my advanced scuba certification. All of this has led to my apply in astronautics certification, and being certified for suborbital flights. Now I’m here at Florida Tech studying astrobiology which isn’t a major that you can find at many other universities. Here, I feel like I’m surrounded by people who get me. Many of my professors, and students have done amazing research with big companies like NASA, SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and Jacobs.
My next steps are to continue getting involved in as much research as I can, getting my instrument rating for my pilot’s license, and seeking any other opportunities. I believe that Florida Tech is putting me on the right path to achieve my career. It’s great being at a university that is a part of the Space Coast, both the space part, and the coast. From campus, I can see rocket launches, and I can go and visit the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on the weekends. Plus I can visit the beach whenever I want. And it’s like everyone here believes in you, which makes you believe in yourself even more. I’m so thankful that I get to spend the next few years here on campus studying what I love, at a university that has welcomed me with open arms. That’s all for me guys, back to you, Alex
Alyssa, thank you for taking us through the storied history here at Florida Tech. It’s fascinating, and congrats on everything you have personally accomplished, and good luck on all your future space endeavors. Thanks again, Alyssa.
Next, we’re heading to meet Jesse Duran, a junior studying computer engineering. The hands-on experience he’s doing here at the college is remarkable and he’s gonna take a few minutes to tell us about experiential education here at the Fort. Jesse, you’re on.
Hey, Alex, hey, everyone. So, computer engineering is a new major here at Fort Lewis. It already has an incredible reputation. I’ve been doing research at the college for almost a year. And in that time, I’ve had wonderful research opportunities presented to me.
I work closely with the biology and physics and engineering departments. The undergraduate research opportunities are beyond belief and this is because the professors work tirelessly to bring these opportunities to campus. The amount of cross-disciplinary training and hands-on work that I’ve been able to do extends from microbiology, microfluidics, lasers and optics, machining parts and printed circuit board design. The research is exciting, but that doesn’t mean that regular courses are boring. It’s quite the opposite.
In my geology class, we went North of Durango to look at fossilized specimens in limestone, stratification of rock and natural occurring hot springs. In my physics course, we built an electric motor from nothing, but wood, nails and wire. In chemistry class, we synthesized ibuprofen. With all of these classes, I got the opportunity to connect my learning to the real world. The classes here at the Fort are more than just theory, they’re application.
If these classes sound a little academically challenging, you’re absolutely right. But luckily, the tutoring services on campus are phenomenal. As a CE major, I have to take a lot of math. There’s a peer education center that has tutors at the ready to help you with any problems that you may have in math, writing, languages and more. The Native American center also has dedicated tutors for a wide variety of classes. Best of all, all these services are free.
The feeling at Fort Lewis is that everyone wants you to succeed. If you put in the time and the effort, the opportunities will present themselves and you’ll reach new horizons. Alex, back to you.
Jesse, wow. What you’re getting to do at this college is absolutely fascinating. There’s no better way to prepare for the real world than working on real work. That’s incredible, thanks for sharing. Great job.
Okay everyone, you are going to love our final segment. We’re heading just down the road from campus to the headquarters of Larsen Motorsports. Here, we’re going to meet up with Loghan Ashline. She’s in junior, majoring in business administration, and has quite the passion for the world of racing. And she’s going to tell us how all the opportunities at Florida Tech come together by connecting students’ academic interests, with their career goals, often leading to dream jobs. Loghan, please take it away.
Hello everyone. There are so many reasons to choose Florida Tech. For me, it’s the opportunity to get career experience working at a unique organization that I wouldn’t be able to find at any other university in the world.
I chose Florida Tech so that I could get involved with Larsen Motorsports. They design, fabricate, and race jet dragsters. And they’re an official university partner. As a freshman business major, I started interning here at the Larsen Motorsports headquarters. It was so amazing to me that I can start getting career experience with a world renowned race team, as a first year business student.
After my first semester, I received a paid position here at Larsen Motorsports in their business, and marketing department. Every day, I get to work closely with the company owners, Chris, and Elaine Larsen, as well as fellow students, to help bring these fire-breathing dragsters to life. Larsen Motorsports is just one example of the kinds of unique companies that Florida Tech students get to work with. I have friends who are working at internships all over the Space Coast.
As for me, I’m getting the experience of a lifetime being able to apply the business and marketing skills that I learn in class every day, to my job here at Larsen Motorsports. When I travel with the team to races, I even have the privilege of putting my boss, two-time World Championship winning driver, Elaine Larsen, on the start line. I am living my dream here at Florida Tech, and every day, it just keeps getting better. Florida Tech has given me the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to intern, and work at my dream job. Alex, back to you.
Loghan, that was amazing. What you are able to work on at Larsen Motorsports is simply incredible. I’m jealous, and I hope I get to come watch one of your races soon. That was awesome. Thanks again, Loghan
Next, we’re meeting up with Autumn DeHart. She’s an adventure education major and also double minoring in entrepreneurship and marketing. And she’s gonna take a moment to talk about what health and wellness means here at Fort Lewis. Autumn, you’re up, take it away.
Hey everyone. One of my favorite things here at the Fort is how much they encourage a healthy lifestyle, from on-campus trails to free access to your gym, it has been absolutely amazing and helped me continue my active lifestyle.
I’m currently trained to be in Spartan races right now and eventually in the Ironman. And I just overall love exercising and being outdoors. The Fort has so many outdoor exercise options to offer. My personal favorite one are the Sky Steps. I like to run this at least once a week, just to get acclimated and prepare for future expeditions I have planned here.
Also, the trail system on campus is amazing. I love to run the Rim Trail or just take my dogs out and explore and adventure. When I’m not working out outside, I like to go to the Student Life Center. This is our on-campus gym. I love going to the group classes. My personal favorite is the Vinyasa flow yoga. I also like going to the CrossFit training though just to mix up my workout routine. And if you don’t like group classes, the SLC has so much more to offer, just like the elevate track system or the basketball courts and so, so, so much more.
On top of that, there is a professionally staffed health center and counseling center here at the Fort. And FLC, we believe in integrated health, which basically means looking at a person as a whole. So, the health care providers will collaborate their knowledge on mental health and physical health when treating a student. The health center sees students for walk-ins or appointments for all minor illnesses, injuries and consultations and can refer students to other doctors or hospitals in town for more serious situations.
At the counseling center, your student fees cover four one hour one-on-one sessions, group sessions or other options. Everyone has things they need to talk about. And for me personally, it really helped to have someone to talk to. One more great resource on campus is WellPAC, our Wellness Peer Advisory Council. They’re a group of students who are trained to do peer education and also public health education. One example of this is when FLC became a non-smoking campus, they helped educate and support students. The thing I love about the Fort is how they support all aspects of a healthy lifestyle, not just fitness. All right, back to you, Alex.
Autumn, thanks for taking the time to go into all of that. Health is one of the most important things we have as individuals. And it is great to see how Fort Lewis College makes it such a priority here on campus. Well done, thanks again. Cheers, Autumn.
ow the main objective of college is to help students prepare for the real world and Fort Lewis does an incredible job of doing just that. Here’s Tiarney Andreas, a senior psychology and sociology double major with a minor in teaching English as a second language. And she’s here to talk about career preparation. Tiarney, you’re on.
– Thanks, Alex. Hi everyone, my name is Tiarney Andreas and I am Bishop Paiute from Bishop, California, from where the water flows. Here at Fort Lewis College, we hope that the knowledge we give you as a Skyhawk will carry you into your future career after leaving the nest.
FLC has a great career services office that helps our students and alumni find the skills they need to succeed in their future careers. Career services provides assistance in resume and cover letter creation as well as career finding, such as choosing a major or finding what graduate school will suit you best in the future. Not only that, but career services provides us, students and alumni, with interview tips as well as job and internship searches that are catered specifically to you.
Nearly all of the professors I have had have incorporated in one way or another real-world examples as well as hands-on learning experiences that I can use in my future career. I was even able to take a psychology class working with kids and doing prevention programming. This allowed me to work with the kids in their own space where they were comfortable while I was also learning how to do successful youth prevention programming. Fort Lewis College offers internships all over campus, as well as within the Durango community.
FLC has prepared me for a career in so many different ways and I am so, so thankful and grateful to such an amazing institution as well as such a supportive Skyhawk family. Everywhere I go, FLC staff and faculty stress the importance of creating a community to support you through your college and career journey. And I truly hope that you decide to join our nest. Back to you, Alex
– Tiarney, great job. There is nothing more important than being ready to succeed in the outside world. And it’s great to see how Fort Lewis has helped you on your path forward in life. Thanks for sharing. Bye, Tiarney.
FAU is one of the most ethnically and racially diverse universities in the nation and prides itself on being a welcoming place for all students. Our next student, Kennedy, is a junior, multimedia journalism major. We’ll hear how she and other students are working to create a more inclusive FAU. Kennedy, you are on.
– Thanks Alex. Hey everyone. As a second generation owl, FAU has allowed me to learn more about myself and explore different leadership roles through their many clubs and organizations. FAU has over 400 clubs and organizations and if those don’t fit your interests, you can always start your own, which is what I did my freshman year. In March of 2020, I launched the Paradigm Press, FAU’s first black-led student newspaper. Paradigm Press highlights the minority population at FAU, interfacing sound board for students to express their thoughts on campus and world news. We are now a registered 501C3 organization and plan on raising money for incoming journalism students. Paradigm has allowed me to connect with tons of faculty and staff and has opened up many job and internship opportunities. As a journalism major, Paradigm has allowed me to gain real world journalism experience outside of the classroom. When I’m not running the Paradigm Press, I serve as the president of the Black Student Union. BSU focuses on educating the FAU community on black issues that are affecting students at FAU. We also work on networking and connecting students to form a family away from home. FAU also has resources like the office of Black Student Success and Initiatives and the Center for Ideas, which help organizations like the Black Student Union flourish. FAU’s rich diversity ensures that every student can find their niche. I have created life-long friends and connections that will prepare me for life after graduation. Thank you for letting me share my story, Alex. What do we have next?
– Excellent job, Kennedy. You are truly a trailblazer. It’s so important for students to have a voice and talk about their experiences in an authentic way. When it comes to diversity, FAU knows that exposure to differing life experiences and perspectives prepare students for a modern global marketplace. Thanks again.
Let’s hear more about the campus here at DelVal. Sarah is graduating this spring with a degree in counseling psychology and she’s gonna take us through this absolutely beautiful campus here at DelVal. Sarah, please take it away.
Thank you Alex. Hey everybody. I am so excited to show you around our campus here at Delaware Valley University with our small class sizes of a 13 to 1 student to professor ratio, you would never know that our campus sits on over 550 acres of the most picturesque land. If you include our two additional campuses that act as a living laboratory for students here on campus, we actually have over a thousand acres of land to our name.
Before touring this campus, I visited many different universities. This one was by far my favorite. I think that there’s something to be said, about having the small campus size, knowing the people that you walk by on the walkways, rather than just being another number. My favorite spot here at DelVal is Lake Archer. I love to come down and hang out with friends, listen to music or even just sit with my thoughts. I actually have a ton of pictures with that beautiful tree over there. It is the most beautiful scene in the springtime. There’s a gazebo at the lake that is extremely peaceful and has the most wonderful view.
Lake Archer is actually a part of our 40 acre arboretum on campus and houses alive laboratory of plans for our students to study. Our campus arboretum is a part of the Greater Philadelphia Gardens and the American Public Gardens Association. There are a ton of different buildings on campus that range from academics to barns. My favorite building on campus is the life science building which is actually our newest building on campus. It has tons of windows, which make it bright and cheery for those 8:00 AM classes.
As a woman soccer player here at DelVal, nothing beats the sun setting over my own practices or while I’m working the men’s lacrosse practice. Right above our turf field, we has a SEPTA regional railroad stop. This stop can take you to Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia or even New York City. And although I’m not around the farms as much as I would like to be, I still like to walk down there and admire the beautiful animals. A funny story that I like to tell potential students here on campus is about Sparky the squirrel.
A few years ago a squirrel chewed through the power lines on campus and actually got electrocuted, taking out the power, right before a big basketball game here on campus. The class of 2018 got a memorial made for him that says the squirrel that searched for light, even through the darkest of times. This story went viral on Facebook and it went viral on Reddit and you can find Sparky’s Memorial, right outside of our Writing Center on campus. At this campus you can find anything from sports to a train station, to live animals. I bet that you haven’t been to a campus that can say the same. Back to you, Alex.
Poor Sparky. Thank Sarah. This campus is gorgeous. I love how this campus is surrounded by so much nature, yet so close to some big cities. Thanks again, Sarah.
We’re heading over to the greenhouses now to meet Wyatt, a junior majoring in crop science. The greenhouse is just one of the many hands-on learning facilities here at DelVal. Wyatt is gonna tell us how he first heard about DelVal and why it was the best choice for him. Wyatt, it’s all yours.
Thank you, Alex. And hello everybody, it’s nice to meet you. Now when I first started my college search, I did not even know DelVal was an option. As a high schooler interested in plants and plant sciences, I was only looking at much larger universities. I remember being at an Agricultural Student Organization called FFA and attending more summer conferences at another large university in Pennsylvania. And thinking to myself, “Wow, just look “at this massive wave of students”. And you can not help but feel lost in a sea of students.
So, I needed something different. I wanted to go to a university where I get a lot of hands-on experience and also stand out. So when my dad told me, “Hey, why don’t you check out Delaware Valley University ” for its agronomy program?”. I was like, “Sure, why not?”. And I booked myself a summer tour. The overall atmosphere of the campus made me feel comfortable. Like I could see myself here for four years. Like I could be an individual.
Learning about what DelVal had to offer from its hands-on learning experience to the credited E360 Program, to knowing that I could secure a merit scholarship of up to $25,000, made me feel like the university actually cared about me. It’s affordability let me worry not about my money, but let me focus on my academics and my social life. And ever since I stepped foot on campus, I do not regret any decision at all. Meeting so many new people from a broad range of majors. I feel like I’m able to truly expand my horizons and see what else is out there in the real world.
It is so easy to get involved on campus and become a leader. For me I serve as a resident assistant and as a RAMbassadors, where I get to do individual campus tours to new students and help them see what DelVal has to offer to them. Being a student at DelVal is an experience that gives you all the tools needed to thrive. And I believe if you are looking for a small school with a big experience, Delaware Valley is a perfect option for you. Back to you Alex.
Thanks, Wyatt. Great job. It is easy to see the advantages of a small school where you will not feel just like a number. And it sounds like you found your perfect home right here. Take care Wyatt.
Here’s senior music business major, Tangi, AKA T Star Verse, and Alejandra, a junior majoring in social media and digital strategy to explain how Manifest comes together.
– Thanks Alex. Hey, what’s y’all, it’s your girl Tandrea Hawkins, AKA T Star Verse, and I have the pleasure of experiencing Manifest both as a performer and a song competition winner.
– Alejandra Marroquin, I was the program making for student activities, which helps plan and produce the entire Manifest festival. How did you first learn about Manifest, Tangi?
– I discovered Manifest at freshman orientation. That’s also where I heard about the song competition. And once I arrived on campus as an eager freshmen, I literally started manifesting, no pun intended, that I would one day achieve just that. Fun fact, I was the first freshmen in Manifest history to perform on the main stage. But it didn’t all just happen because I manifested it. I got there by hosting and performing at open mics and student showcases all throughout the year. Those events give students the opportunity to network and showcase their talents to hundreds of students and faculty at a time.
– It would not be Manifest without the incredible performers like you. For me, there were many components that came with program making festival, from choosing the creative team to see how the weather was like the day of the festival. But the most important part of all of this, is that Manifest is entirely student produced. My job on the Manifest team was to figure out how to get students engaged through Manifest week. It can be a challenge to create and produce a student run festival, but I love being able to get my perspective of what Manifest should have. We all worked together to make sure that the chosen Manifest team extends to every facet of the event. This year, I was able to produce Manifests PR boxes, which were sent to students who signed up to the Manifest ambassadors, kinda like influencers. Their job was to promote Manifest and get others excited to participate and attend. Manifest brings out the best in student work. It’s a huge public platform to showcase your self, however you want. You’ll hear so many stories about the way students contribute to Manifest. I know T Star Verse got her moment in the Manifest spotlight.
– And lemme tell you being in that spotlight was everything. By the time I was a senior, I knew I wanted to create the winning Manifest song, and my submission won. The school wanted to use my song “Levitate”, off of my debut album, “Balance”. And since we couldn’t create an in-person concert, I created a virtual concert video featuring some of my other songs as well. The opportunity was huge for me. I was able to have full creative control in the process, but we only have one week to put it all together. So I called on a lot of my friends from Columbia across their music, fashion, dance, and film departments to help me bring my vision to life. That’s why having friends with students across different majors is crucial, you never know when you’ll need them. Our team of staff, students and alumni helped me put together a beautiful masterpiece that will forever stand out in my portfolio. Alejandra, your Manifest work is a beautiful addition to your portfolio too. What’s better than students taken over an arts festival, getting experience while doing it, and making it their own. Thank you for listening. What’s next, Alex?
– I am absolutely speechless. Columbia students sure know how to deliver. I’m manifesting my invitation to the next one so I can see it for myself. That was awesome. Okay, everyone, I wanna thank these students for showing us around and giving the inside scoop on Columbia College, Chicago. This place is amazing. The distinctive urban environment, the unique people and the infinite inspirations waiting around every corner. Columbia students jump at the chance to own their craft, big deeper into their career and pursue their passions, all within a supportive community that gives them the human connections they need to thrive. If you’re looking for a school in a world-class city full of grit, color, and plenty of interesting people, be sure to add Columbia College, Chicago, to your list. That’s it for me. I’ll pass it off to Colombia’s President, Dr. Kwang‑Wu Kim to sign off on this episode. Thanks again, everybody. Take care.