When Harmony Jenkins, a sophomore at Grand Canyon University (GCU), enrolled in a writing course offered by the Honors College, she was unaware that it would lead her to publish research in the university’s Canyon Journal of Undergraduate Research. The course focused on academic journal writing and was aimed at students interested in contributing to the journal, which had its first issue published in the summer of 2023.
Jenkins expressed her initial surprise upon discovering the nature of the class: “I didn’t even know we had a journal,” she said. Despite this, Jenkins saw an opportunity to enhance her skills and strengthen her graduate school applications. As a social work major with aspirations for further studies, she found the prospect of being published as an undergraduate appealing.
The Honors College Academic Program Manager, Katalina Inzunza Herrera, highlighted the purpose of the journal: “This journal was started to give undergraduate students meaningful experience with academic publishing,” she stated. “It’s a chance for students to grow as scholars, strengthen their graduate school applications and build skills that will serve them in research and non-research focused careers.”
Jenkins’ article titled “Developing Community Leaders: A Reflection on the Motivating Factors Behind Prosocial and Altruistic Behavior in Adolescents” draws inspiration from her experiences with Juntos, a youth leadership program based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The program involves Bible studies and mentoring sessions for younger students. Jenkins recounted how volunteers persisted despite personal challenges during these programs: “It’s a really intense week and I was just surprised a lot of the volunteers would do that while going through things like severe mental health crises,” she noted.
Her research identified four key motivators for volunteering at Juntos: organizational stewardship, organizational leadership, prosocial personality, and religious moral foundation. Many volunteers were driven by nostalgia or felt it was their mission to pass on their knowledge of faith.
Reflecting on her background living in Albuquerque’s international district known for high crime rates and poverty levels, Jenkins emphasized community development from within rather than external intervention. She appreciated GCU’s support for discussing faith-based topics academically: “One thing I love about GCU is that I can talk about the role faith played…because that is a huge part of what my experience was.”
Other contributors to this edition include Noah Larson with “Undergraduate Guide for Reflective Practice,” Allison Rogers et al., discussing dance/movement therapy impacts on neurobiological disorders; Collin O’Reilly et al., exploring classroom accommodations for neurodivergent students; Mackenzie Purdy analyzing labor trafficking; Benjamin Carter on deepfake detection methods; and Kobe Lage et al., examining job stress impacts.
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasican be reached at [email protected]
