Welcome to Teaching in Purple
By Kimberly LaPrade, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Education
In the College of Education at Grand Canyon University, the faculty, administrators and staff embody a spirit of continuous improvement to frequently focus our efforts in alignment with our framework of Learning, Leading and Serving.
The College of Education has a servant’s heart. Our efforts are focused on students from kindergarten through higher education. We seek to have an impact on all students and the education community.
Our Christian heritage inspires GCU students to recognize that the education profession is not just a job, but a calling. As a community, we engage in a number of outreach efforts.
It is with this great momentum that I am pleased to share this new beginning for Teaching in Purple, with hopes to inspire students, teachers and faculty to find their purpose and passion in the field of education.
We kick off our first month of Teaching in Purple by featuring blogs about teacher appreciation, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week from May 4-8. Each month, our posts will focus on a different topic related to the field of education. If you have suggestions for upcoming blogs, please reach out to us and let us know—we would love to hear from you!
More About Kimberly:
Dr. LaPrade is an alumnus of Grand Canyon University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in English writing and sociology in 1990 and her Master of Education degree in 2000. She holds a teaching certificate and a principal certificate from Arizona and earned her doctoral degree in educational leadership from Capella University. Dr. LaPrade has been an educator in and out of the classroom for almost 20 years. In addition, Dr. LaPrade serves as adjunct professor for the College of Doctoral Studies. Her experience includes course development and assessment design. She teaches a variety of leadership courses, while also serving on several doctoral committees. Dr. LaPrade is married and has four grown children and two dogs. In her spare time she loves to sail, read, cook and exercise. She also enjoys traveling; her favorite trips involve the ocean.