APRIL 2012 Volume 2 – Issue 2
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APRIL 2012 Volume 2 – Issue 2 he hallway leading to Andy Stankiewicz’s office is lined with 13 framed jerseys, one for nearly each ballplayer who starred at Grand Canyon University prior to making “The Show.” The shrine is a constant reminder about what once was – and what could be again. Stankiewicz accepted the job as GCU’s head baseball coach last year with a plan to strengthen the program through precise recruiting, an emphasis on unselfish play and a blueprint to return to the postseason. But baseball is a game of patience. Continued on P2 Continued from P1 Shifting a program’s philosophy and standards takes time. “There’s no better guy than him to learn from on a daily basis,” After starting the season 4-8, Stankiewicz left three seniors said Serrano, who grew up and played Little League with off the team’s roster for a weeklong trip to Hawai‘i with Stankiewicz in southern California. concerns about their dedication. The coach said he felt his “When he gets an opportunity to recruit and bring his full club struggled without the veteran presence but that players system in, GCU baseball will be back on the map.” Making Their Case P3 are beginning to accept the new focus. Stankiewicz tries to avoid coming across like a salesman Baseball is such a statistical game, and the nature of batter vs. SCORE! P4 on recruiting visits, yet he wants to emphasize GCU as an pitcher such a singular experience, that young players crave alternative baseball program to ASU and the University individual success. A Light Unto Her Path P5 of Arizona. “We’re trying to get them to understand we don’t care He knows the high-character, all-hustle players he wants to Logged On … From China P8 about your batting average, your earned-run average,” said build the program around. It’s simply a matter of showing Stankiewicz, who coached at Arizona State University and in Talkin’ College them around. And he knows that GCU can sell itself. P9 the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners minor-league Renaissance Matt systems after seven years as a big-league infielder. “Once we get them on campus, we show them the Arena and P10 the Rec Center, the classrooms, the new dorms, and they walk “We care about how you care about each other,” the coach away saying, ‘This is legit, this could be a place for me to go to Builder Extraordinaire P11 said. “You can lose as a hitter, but we win as a team.” school,’” Stankiewicz said. The Antelopes traveled in March to play the University of FEATURE Tampa, the No. 1-ranked NCAA Division II baseball team. Stankiewicz saw the three-game series as a benchmark, and GCU took two games to extra innings, winning one of them. GCU dismissed Dave Stapleton as its head baseball coach in March 2011 after 10 years. Last year, University CEO Brian Mueller heralded the hiring of Stankiewicz as critical to P6-7 “returning this program to prominence.” GCU won three successive national championships in 1980- 82 and a fourth in 1986. The University is well known in West Coast baseball circles as a top program with a proud history. Longtime big-leaguers Tim Salmon and Chad Curtis, in addition to current Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Volume 2 – Issue 2 Cody Ransom, are among the best to play on campus at GCU TODAY MAGAZINE is a Brazell Stadium. quarterly publication of the Office of Stankiewicz was known as an intelligent player and also for Communications and Public Affairs at his hustle and dedication. The undersized utilityman made Grand Canyon University. his Major League debut with the Yankees at 27 and went Written and Edited by on to play with the Houston Astros, Montreal Expos and the DOUG CARROLL inaugural 1998 Diamondbacks. Communications Manager He played in the same Yankees infield as Don Mattingly and MICHAEL FERRARESI Wade Boggs. In Houston, Jeff Bagwell received many of his Senior Writer, GCU News Bureau putouts, while Craig Biggio helped him turn double plays. Designed by While in Montreal, manager and former player Felipe Alou DEANNA FUSCO inspired him with his approach in the Expos’ clubhouse. SoHo Southwest Stankiewicz remembered a nine- or 10-game losing streak Photos by in which he expected the skipper to rage on his players, but MARK BOISCLAIR, DAVID Alou challenged the club with a humble and calming attitude. BLAKEMAN, DOUG CARROLL, “He wouldn’t let the outcome of a ballgame affect who he was ZANE EWTON, MICHAEL GING, as a person,” Stankiewicz said. “I learned from him that no JAK KEYSER, RUTH NSUBUGA, matter how bad we perform, I can’t let them see me panic.” & TIM WINZELER Stankiewicz’s family settled in Gilbert years ago and his four Office of Communications children have grown up in metropolitan Phoenix. In addition and Public Affairs to playing for the Diamondbacks, he worked as an assistant Bill Jenkins coach at Arizona State University, coaching future big- Executive Director leaguers on multiple College World Series runs. CONTACT The coach said he accepted the GCU job because it enabled DOUG CARROLL him to rebuild a program close to home, but also because he [email protected] respects that the University affords student-athletes and staff 602.639.8011 a place “where you can show your faith freely.” MICHAEL FERRARESI Dave Serrano, head coach at University of Tennessee, named [email protected] 602.639.7030 Stankiewicz as an assistant coach on his collegiate Team USA coaching staff. The team travels to Cuba and Holland this year Grand Canyon University as part of the 2012 schedule, which probably will create some 3300 W. Camelback Road global exposure for GCU’s baseball program with Stankiewicz Phoenix, AZ 85017 as its international ambassador. P2 A p r i l 2 012 Forensic science graduates to enter world of career opportunities an era of advanced digital technology, crime lab is only five years old and other city In the students in Cornel Stemley’s departments, such as Scottsdale’s, are hiring physical evidence class could easily complete to staff new crime labs. their class assignment with a computer. Local government positions start can start at However, this semester they were required a $50,000 annual salary while jobs in federal to check fingerprints manually, scrutinizing or private labs earn more, making the field a every swirl and ridge of the hand to match a popular entry-level job. latent print pulled from a mock crime scene “It’s not always about working for city with those from potential suspects. Forensics instructor Cornel Stemley teaches students how to make casts of tool imprints, such as the marks left by screwdrivers and government,” said Zach Quarles, a forensics It’s the essential forensic standard. And it’s the hammers used in crimes. student in Stemley’s physical evidence class same work many will seek after graduation as who competes in investigation simulations national accreditation, plans for cutting-edge in the field, including an April ride-along with police with GCU’s Lopes Justice Society club. labs in the new College of Arts and Sciences building, on the Navajo Indian reservation in northern Arizona. “There are private labs, forensic accountants, forensic and savvy instructors make GCU a destination for Students this semester were required to participate dentists,” Quarles said. “There are something like 40 criminal justice education. in a simulated criminal investigation. They collected different forensic disciplines.” About 175 students are enrolled in forensic science evidence and developed probable cause to make an Melissa Beddow, assistant professor of forensic courses. The first graduate is on track for this fall – the arrest. They had to go before a judge (Stemley) to show science, helped establish GCU’s program less than one first of many expected to complete their degrees cause for a warrant after interviewing witnesses and year ago. Students must complete foundational classes at GCU who share a curiosity about how evidence suspects (GCU drama students). In other simulations, in biology and chemistry before taking forensic science collection, DNA analysis and forensic biology help re- classes use blood samples and other biological courses as soon as the third year. create crimes. evidence collected from students to use as examples. Beddow added that GCU is seeking accreditation “It’s like a puzzle, like a movie that has played that you Simulations stress protecting chain of custody. In for the University’s labs by the American Academy of have to re-create without having seen it,” said Stemley, real life, investigators risk delaying adjudication of Forensic Sciences. The new Arts and Sciences building a forensics instructor and former police officer who dangerous felons or falsely convicting innocent people on the west side of campus will include a DNA analysis worked as a federal narcotics investigator in Nebraska if evidence is mishandled – leaving victims’ families lab and forensic chemistry lab to train future forensic before joining GCU. without resolution. analysts in the fundamentals. Stemley works full time, teaching five courses and Forensic science jobs in Phoenix pay more on average “I think it’s always going to be growing and there’s going assisting students in extracurricular criminal justice than similar lab jobs in other markets such as Houston, to be new jobs,” Beddow said. “Once you have a solid events. He has organized class ride-alongs with Arizona Orlando and Tampa, according to the U.S. Bureau foundation, you can apply it anywhere.” police to expose students to crime-scene management of Labor Statistics. The Phoenix Police Department’s A p r i l 2 012 P3 is just what the American marketplace needs, right? Another item of sports memorabilia, to add to the foam fingers and This bobbleheads already out there.