NW Valley Times

Grand Canyon University (GCU) alumnus Riley Getty recently spoke with a potential client as Branch49 Sales Director Sean Snyder observed at their office in Canyon Ventures. This story, originally published in the April issue of GCU Magazine, highlights how campus jobs are aiding students in launching their careers.

Brooke Swanson, a GCU marketing and advertising major, recounted her journey from Fargo, North Dakota, to New York City. A decade after her initial visit to the city with her mother, she returned for a mid-February weekend event organized by NineteenTwenty—a startup within GCU's Canyon Ventures. Swanson described her experience handling various tasks during the two-day pop-up event as surreal and an unexpected opportunity while still in school.

Swanson noted the abundance of opportunities available through networking at GCU. Her role at NineteenTwenty involved producing puffer jackets that convert to totes. She appreciated the hands-on experience gained from working with the company.

Student workers at GCU engage in diverse roles such as running engineering shops, tutoring peers at Academic and Career Excellence Centers, creating advertising campaigns, shooting videos and photographs for marketing purposes, and producing apparel and signs for Canyon Promotions. These roles provide practical experience that can lead to future employment.

Shareka Purnell, Associate Director of IT at Grand Canyon Education (GCE), emphasized the career paths available to student workers. "I was a student worker here in 2010," Purnell said. "We’re about to hit 14 years, and I go into that with them, telling them that I was a student worker and now I’m an associate director."

Purnell highlighted how companies appreciate the training received by GCU student workers before hiring them full-time. Alumni have also expressed gratitude for these opportunities.

Ethan Anderson worked in GCE’s IT department during his studies before securing internships at Best Western and Tesla. He was later offered a full-time position at Tesla after graduating with a degree in cybersecurity last spring. Anderson credited his student worker roles for teaching him problem-solving skills under pressure.

Branch49 has been one of the first companies housed in GCU’s Canyon Ventures Innovation Center. Founder/CEO Corey Frank and Chief Revenue Officer John Darby aim to improve students' work quality through part-time employment opportunities.

Darby described Branch49's approach: “It’s not necessarily a form of graduating from school but graduating from Branch49.” One success story is Riley Getty, who transitioned from being a student worker to securing a full-time job due to his performance.

Canyon Ventures Director Robert Vera emphasizes high-quality work among student workers. Darby praised Getty's progress: “It’s just amazing how far he’s come... And he just got promoted to sales leadership.”

Getty recalled advice from Professor Robert Vera about being evaluated on work quality, communication skills, and idea articulation—principles he found crucial for success.

Anderson mentioned that GCU connects students to internships via Career Services’ Career Connections portal—a significant advantage for competitive fields like cybersecurity.

Connor St. Louis transitioned from being a student worker at Branch49 to becoming a full-time member of its sales team after graduating with a degree in biomedical engineering but developing an interest in sales.

NineteenTwenty COO Zach Sankar commended Swanson's dedication: “Her unwavering dedication and enthusiasm exemplify the essence of a proactive and engaged employee.”

Purnell ensures recruiters recognize that GCU student workers perform beyond basic duties: “They’re doing more than the average student coming out of college.”

Branch49 employee Riley Getty echoed similar sentiments about his rewarding experience working alongside motivated peers who share strong ethics fostered by their education at GCU.

For Swanson, participating in NineteenTwenty's New York event surpassed her expectations—a testament to the real-world experiences provided by campus jobs at Grand Canyon University.

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