All right, everyone. Now, we’re heading over to Panther Plaza. A really cool spot here on campus, to meet Tij Vishwakarma. Tij received his undergraduate here in aerospace engineering, and has started his master’s degree in ocean engineering. Tij is gonna speak about the warm, and welcoming culture and community he found here at Florida Tech. Tij has some great stories about how this school has positively affected his life. Tij, you are on, take it away.
Thank you, Alex, for that amazing introduction. You know, students from all over the world, come to Florida Tech. If you ask me, there’s something very special about this place. The very first time I came on campus, was also my very first time in the United States. My parents were nervous. I was nervous too, but you know what? The moment we met the welcoming community of Florida Tech, every worry disappeared.
In the first week itself, I met students from across the globe. Each person I met was friendly, and had a positive attitude. I never expected to meet my friends like Tom, Jess, and Daniel. Tom, is a guy from Scarborough, Maine, who I met during an orientation icebreaker. It just so happened that he loved table tennis as much as I did. And so naturally we bonded. First, we became friends, then we became roommates, and now, we’re like brothers.
Now, let me tell you about Jess. I met her in the Evans Library while I was studying for my Physics 2 exam. I shared my stories about India, and she told me about her life in Greenville, South Carolina. We realized that even though we were worlds apart, we had so much in common. I could not let this opportunity go. So, I asked her out. Now, she’s my long-term girlfriend, and also my closest friend.
In the summer of 2016, in a breather between classes, I sat down next to a guy named Daniel. I asked him where he was from, and he said, Gambia, West Africa. We talked for hours. He told me about African traditions, and I realized how similar they were to the Indian traditions. We shared our love and interest for technology, and now we’re best friends. When we all first met, the only thing we had in common, was Florida Tech. Now, we are all like family.
As an international student, I feel like Florida Tech does everything it can to make me feel like home, from Panther Dining Hall’s International Dinner Series, to the university’s annual International Festival, during which the students, and community organizations come together to celebrate the sights, tastes, and sounds of various world cultures. But what I think really brings me, and people like Jess, Tom, and Daniel together, is the unique community that Florida Tech fosters. Florida Tech is an amazing place to live and learn, and I would not trade my experience for anything else. Back to you, Alex.
Tij, Great job. Thank you for opening up, and getting personal about the culture and community here at Florida Tech. That was special. Cheers, Tij.
So next, we’re heading over to one of Florida Tech’s science laboratories to meet Delaney Lisco. She’s a senior, majoring in biomedical engineering, and she’s going to take a few minutes away from her lab work, to talk to us about another important element of Florida Tech’s DNA, in-depth undergraduate research. Delaney, please take it away.
Hey everyone. All students at Florida Tech have the opportunity to get involved in research, and most of us take full advantage. Undergraduate research is a great way for Florida Tech students to dive deeper into a topic that they’re most passionate about. It’s also a great way to gain practical knowledge whether you’re in the lab, or out in the field.
Here at Florida Tech, we have tons of research disciplines, so no matter what you’re interested in studying, we have an opportunity here for you. A lot of students get involved with research through their professor, or graduate assistant who works within the department. Once you get involved with research, you can learn more about your major, you can learn how to use really awesome technology and equipment, and can gain practical skills and knowledge that will help you excel both inside, and outside the classroom. My favorite part about the research that I do here at Florida Tech, is the connection that I can make between my education, and the real world.
Currently, I’m involved in a really relevant, and exciting multi-disciplinary senior design project, sponsored by a local science-based company, Chem-Free Solutions. We have been developing a UV LED matrix for ultraviolet germicidal irradiation. I got involved with this project in my junior year, and it really has been one of the greatest experiences that I’ve had at Florida Tech. Being involved with research, has allowed me to network with other passionate students. You can learn so much working side by side with one of your professors, a graduate assistant, or another student on the project.
With so many knowledgeable and experienced professors, as well as opportunities, I have found that our foundation for research is deeply rooted into what Florida Tech has to offer to its students, and to the world. Florida Tech’s motto, “Ad Astra Per Scientiam,” which translates to, “To the Stars Through Science,” for me, it captures what Florida Tech is all about. Our school really does go above and beyond when it comes to scientific research and discovery. Back to you, Alex.
Delaney, wow! It’s so impressive, the hands-on research you all get to do alongside your professors here on campus. It’s extraordinary. Thanks for taking the time to share that. Bye, Delaney.
Okay, so now we’re heading to Florida Tech’s beautiful Botanical Garden. A tropical oasis tucked away in this peaceful corner of campus. And we’re going to meet Emily Warner. She’s a senior here at Florida Tech, majoring in psychology, with a concentration in animal behavior. Emily is going to talk to us about student-faculty mentorship at Florida Tech. Wait until you hear what Emily is doing here at the school, it’s awesome. Emily, please take it away.
Thanks, Alex. Hello everybody. I chose to come to Florida Tech for the small classroom sizes, and the tight knit community. I didn’t want to be seen as just a number. At Florida Tech, my class size is average from about 25 to 30 people. This means that by the end of my semester, I’ve gotten to know my professors really well.
The substantial relationship I built here in my time at Florida Tech, is with Dr. Darby Proctor. She is my research mentor, has been my professor for several classes, she even became my employer this past August when she created a federal work study position for me within her lab. Being a part of this lab, has opened up a world of opportunities for me. Because of her, I’ve had the chance to be involved in the introduction of a rescued spider monkey to our troop at Brevard Zoo.
This has been an incredible research opportunity, and has fostered a love for non-human primates that I didn’t previously know that I had. She’s not only a great mentor in an academic sense, but also a personal sense. She even sends me information about job openings that she thinks that I would be a good fit for. I know my relationship with Dr. Proctor is not unique among Florida Tech students. My closest friends all have similar relationship with mentors in the fields of aerospace engineering, astrobiology, forensic psychology, marine biology, and more.
These experiences have been critical in helping Florida Tech students receive scholarships, internships, and even jobs once they have graduated. So if you’re looking for a tight-knit community, with a plethora of undergraduate research opportunities, then Florida Tech is the school for you. Back to you, Alex.
Emily, it’s absolutely profound what you’re doing here at Florida tech. Next time you get to work with a baby spider monkey, can you please call me so I can join? Unbelievable. Thanks again for sharing. That’s awesome, Emily.
Next, we’re heading to the Orlando Melbourne International Airport, home to FIT Aviation. Florida Tech’s very own flight training facility. Just a short drive from campus, this is where students like Greg Dunn, a junior majoring in aeronautical science with flight, become pilots. Greg is going to talk to us about flying planes here at Florida Tech. Greg, you’re on, take it away.
Hey guys, one thing that sets Florida Tech apart from other colleges, is that we have our own flight school. Florida Tech is home to one of the most respected collegiate aviation programs in the country. As long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a pilot. And as you can probably hear, I do have a Jamaican accent. Which means me leaving my small island, and finding that one college that would have made my dreams a reality. That was Florida Tech.
Here we are, at Emil Buehler Center For Aviation Training & Research, which is located about 10 minutes away from the Florida Tech campus, at Orlando Melbourne International Airport. This facility is home to FIT Aviation, also known as Florida Tech’s flight land. As a flight student, my day starts off with me waking up approximately an hour and a half before my flight, and heading to the flight land. I then get checked in at this bird, and my instructor is usually coming out to get the lesson started. This is usually around 5:30 in the morning. So my takeoffs are two hours of course, into the sunrise. This is a breathtaking scene.
Florida Tech has their students to dive head first into their majors. This was extremely important to me, as one of my biggest fears was having to wait over a year to fly. This was not the case at Florida Tech. Soon after arriving on campus, I remember getting a text message from my instructor saying, I had my first fight in the preceding days. Being able to fly so quickly, made me know that Florida Tech had my best interest at heart.
Learning to fly here in Melbourne, Florida is amazing. Not only do we get to take advantage of over 300 days of pristine weather, but we do get one of the best approaches in the world. We fly over the land, fly over sea, we even fly over campus. We have a variety of top of the line, single and multi-engine Piper training aircraft, and an award-winning maintenance department known for excellence in safety and service.
Another thing that I really appreciate, is that Florida Tech are not only here for the students, but they’re here for the community. The team here at FIT Aviation has done everything from flying hurricane relief supplies to The Bahamas, to helping our locals who transport our endangered animal from Texas to here. Florida Tech students are part of something bigger than themselves. In my experience, Florida Tech’s flight land is a tight-knit community of really caring aviators, who want to see the community grow. I urge anyone who has the slightest dreams of becoming a pilot, to take a look at Florida Tech’s program. I can promise you, you won’t regret it. That’s it for me, back to you, Alex.
Greg, I love how you have always wanted to fly planes, and are now making that dream a reality right here at Florida Tech. That was fun, great job. Cheers, Greg.
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
Okay, everybody, let’s kick this episode off by hearing first from the university’s president. Mr. Brian Mueller is a visionary and innovator in an industry slow to adapt to change. Since Mr. Mueller joined GCU about 13 years ago, the university has experienced unprecedented growth. Enrollment on the Phoenix ground campus has increased from roughly 1000 to over 22,000, while online enrollment has grown exponentially to more than 90,000. He is a force, and he is excited to share the vision of Grand Canyon University with you all. President Mueller, the floor is all yours.
– Thank you, Alex. It’s great to be here today, and thank you for your interest in Grand Canyon University. A lot of people are asking, how did this miracle in a desert happen? Really, 13 years ago, we came here with the idea that, could we create a private Christian university that would be affordable to all socioeconomic classes of Americans. It would require a whole different way to think about the economics of higher education. We came here for that purpose. We actually went to the public markets 13 years ago. The public markets actually liked our idea and they invested in it. We brought it back to Phoenix with the idea of creating a hybrid campus. To be honest with you, it worked out way better than we thought. In the fall, we’ll have 25,000 students on our campus in Phoenix, we have 90,000 students studying online. They’re leveraging a common infrastructure, and we haven’t had to raise tuition for 13 years, Grand Canyon University students now take out less debt than the average state university student. What happened then, is that we had this period of unbelievable growth. Academically, we came here with three colleges, less than a hundred academic programs, and today we have nine colleges, over 270 academic programs, including in very difficult and rigorous academic areas like engineering, computer science, information technology than natural sciences. We’ve invested almost $1.5 billion into the campus, and it’s been ranked the seventh nicest campus in the country, and the growth just isn’t stopping. All of those things then, led to the development of an incredible community. In fact, I will tell you, if I line up 10 kids today and say, why’d you choose Grand Canyon? Nine out of 10 they will say, it’s the strength of the community. We teach in very small class sizes. We hire professors based upon their ability to teach the material, but we also hire them based upon their ability to build relationships with our students. We have a very vibrant campus culture. Spiritual activities like chapel, where we have as many as 7,000 students there. We probably have the largest intermural sports club program in the country, huge outdoor rec program. We have students in music, theater, dance. Those are all ways for our students to get connected, to build relationships, to build a network of friends. The most important thing that’s happened here though, is that the university is grown up in the middle of a immigrant community that has a lot of needs. A lot of these people are asylum seekers. They’re just getting started in America. We decided that our faith expression was going to be lived out by pouring into the lives of these immigrants. And it’s our students and our faculty, and their willingness to participate in all that, that is our faith expression. And that’s what we’re trying to do here. We’re very grateful for how things have gone for us. We’ve been extremely blessed. In return, we try to bless the community, but I want you to hear it from our faculty and staff, and especially our students. And so with that, let me throw it back to Alex.
– President Mueller, you are an inspirational leader in every sense of the word. We thank you for sharing all that with everyone. You’re like a rock star here on campus, and I can see why everyone from the students, to the faculty, to the parents, all love you. Thanks again. Cheers, Brian.
You all are gonna be inspired by this next student’s story. We’re heading over to the GCU labs to meet Erik Yost. Erik is a freshman majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business Management. What this young man is doing to change the world for good using his engineering skillset is absolutely mind blowing. Eric, the floor is all yours.
– Thanks, Alex. Hey, everyone. Throughout my life, I’ve always felt the need to go and serve the world in the name of the Lord. I’ve always loved engineering and entrepreneurship from a young age, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my skills specifically. In high school, I was heavily involved throughout campus as student body vice president for sport varsity athlete, robotics mentor, and a leader in the engineering and entrepreneurship program. I focused my skillset on our ISS program, an elite engineering program, where students were able to send their research projects onto the International Space Station. I worked on multiple different teams, and eventually sent six different projects into space. My primary project was focused on microbial fuel cells. Fuel cells are able to take any form of organic waste and convert it into electricity. We were able to take this project to the American Society of Gravitational and Space Research, and win first place, which was a huge accomplishment. From there, I started to work with NASA on sustainable energy research. I felt my calling to use my skills in engineering to help better the world. When I started looking at colleges, I learned about the Discover GCU trips. I just knew I had to participate. These trips are so immersive, and you get to experience firsthand, what it means to be a Lope. During this all-expenses-paid on-campus experience. We learned about that dynamic academic programs offered across GCU’s nine colleges, connected with GCU’s vibrant campus community and explore different ways to connect with current students, faculty and leadership. On this trip, I was introduced to GCU’s engineering program, entrepreneurship initiative, a strong sense of Christian community, and a place I could truly thrive. It was awesome, and I fell in love with GCU. Once on campus, I started my LLC, generate a biotechnology company, focused on building my fuel cells through the entrepreneurship initiative, so I’m able to fund my nonprofit, and help better the world around me. Here on campus, I’m also starting a program called STELLAR, which allows GCU students to send their projects to the International Space Station. Here at GCU, you’re able to join any club or program and grow your skills and glorify God. You can impact your local community globally, or even the universe. There’s such a multidisciplinary aspect between the colleges, where students are able to learn real life skills and apply all around their life. And I pray that I’m able to glorify God in all that I do, that He’s able to use me as a vessel through my clubs, business and leadership. Back to you, Alex.
– Erik, it is so profound to see you use your passion and experience with biotechnology to help make the world a better place. It’s all very impressive. Thank you for sharing that, we’ll see you soon. Cheers, Erik.
We are now heading over to the courtyard of the Colangelo College of Business. Here, we have Maya waiting for us. She’s a GCU alum, and she’s gonna talk about the community impacts beyond the classroom here at Grand Canyon University. Maya, you are on.
– Hi, everyone. I’m a second-generation Latino. I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and my parents are originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. One of the most profound memories I have while attending Grand Canyon University is being able to experience the growth and development. There’s so much collaboration between professors and students. You get one-on-one coaching from professionals who have so much experience in the field. It’s amazing to be able to knock on their door and have a conversation with them. Every professor is there to help you through the process, and they encourage you to work in small learning groups. GCU offers an excellent curriculum, where you learn how to start a business from beginning to end. Entrepreneurship is highly encouraged in the university between staff and students, because they’re dedicated to the success of the students. My story is a true example of GCU’s commitment to community growth and job creation. The Colangelo College of Business has helped me and prepared me to stimulate my ideas and creativity and bring those personal business plans to life. In August of 2019, I opened my first business called Sleep Simple Co. It’s a furniture store and mattress store. With GCU’s rapid growing community of residence halls and apartments, they needed mattresses. My professors and the Colangelo College of Business dean, made it possible for me to pitch a business proposal to supply GCU with mattresses from my family business. Not only has Grand Canyon University purchased thousands of mattresses from our company, we’ve had the great opportunity to support West Phoenix local business expansion. GCU’s partnership has enabled us to provide jobs to members of our community. We started in an 11,000 square foot building. and this year our growth has become exponential, and we moved into a 30,000 square foot building. I feel so accomplished being able to support the community and provide more jobs in West Phoenix. So this is my story. Alex, back to you.
– Maya, that was great to hear how GCU supported your business, which in turn supported the surrounding community. It’s incredible. That was really fun. Keep up the great work and congrats on all your business success. Cheers, Maya.
All right, everyone. Now we’re heading over to Lopes Way. Here, we have Noah Wolfe waiting for us. Noah received his undergraduate degree here in Christian Studies, and is currently getting his master’s degree online while serving as the Director of Alumni Relations. Noah is gonna share an exciting story about what opening doors and opening arms means right here at Grand Canyon University. Noah, it’s all yours.
– Hey, everybody. My sophomore year on campus, I was in a course that was discussing the negative effects of poverty on our society. And there was one class period in particular, where we were watching a video of a middle-aged African-American woman who is sharing how her community had been dramatically impacted by low incomes, violence and drug abuse. As I began to pay closer attention to the words that she was saying, I started to realize that she happened to be from the exact same neighborhood that I was born into, a place full of very little hope. Statistically speaking, college can be difficult to access for a lot of people. It’s challenging for those who were born into environments, similar to mine to pursue higher education, but as I reflect over the course of my life, there have been countless individuals and organizations who have chosen to stand up to statistics and advocate for equal opportunity. Grand Canyon University, without a doubt, has proven themselves to be one of these organizations. This place is so special to me because it is a champion of inclusion, community and equal opportunity for all. Regardless of where we come from, everyone here is valued as a child of God that is wonderfully made. Together, We remain unified through the belief that Christ death and resurrection brings us in as one incredible family. During my time on campus, I had the ability to interact with so many different types of people from so many diverse backgrounds. Our students, staff, faculty, and alumni represent all socioeconomic classes of Americans, and in my opinion, that is something uniquely special to this place. GCU is teaching people, not just how to live together, but how to thrive together, how to collaborate with one another on some of our communities most challenging problems so that we can make a difference. All of this is coming from a place that says, if we work together and remain unified under key principles, we can make the world a better place. I’ve never experienced a culture like this, a Christian community of people who are deeply committed to serving one another. My senior year, I had the privilege of serving in the role of student body president, and today I get to serve as our director of Alumni Relations. I could not be more grateful to be a part of a workforce full of thousands of individuals who are passionate about the purpose of coming alongside people and helping them find theirs. As our alumni base continues to grow at an incredibly rapid rate, our hope is to build supportive programming that leaves a legacy, and allows people to remain connected and engaged to their purpose and the university for years to come. I would highly encourage anyone who is looking for an advocate in the world of higher education to consider GCU. We are building a community here that is committed to cheering you on towards a higher purpose, and all of that is being fueled by a simple concept, that together we can pioneer the world of private Christian education with America’s promise of equal opportunity for all. That’s my story. Lopes up. Back to you, Alex.
– Noah, your message about how GCU is teaching the students, not just how to live together, but how to thrive together is awesome. You can feel that energy all around campus here. Thanks again for that, Noah.
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.