GCU's Hardin having impact off the court

GCU's Hardin making impact off the court

PHOENIX, AZ - When Ashley Hardin transferred to Grand Canyon University from NCAA Division I Northern Arizona University two years ago to play basketball, she had no clue about what the term SAAC meant.

In fact, she never knew it existed.

Now Hardin is the school and Pacific West Conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president after becoming actively involved in the nation-wide group designed to make a difference in the lives of underpriviledged community members, in addition to bettering the college experience for all students.

"We're basically the bridge between not only the student-athletes, but other students and the administrators as well," Hardin said. "That way we relay what other students want us to fix." 

Along with Brooke Baker, the SAAC vice president for both Grand Canyon and the PacWest, Hardin and student-athletes from other teams are actively involved in community service activities on a monthly basis. This year, GCU took an active role in the Canyon Kids program where SAAC members take kids from surrounding neighborhoods to nearby parks for different outdoor activities.

Last year GCU's SAAC committee visited Phoenix Children's Hospital in one of its community service activities. This year, the school and PacWest have combined efforts to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Each school in the PacWest has a goal to raise at least $1,000 to assist the charity that is designed to help kids with terminal illnesses. If every school meets its goal, at least one kid will have his or her wish granted.

"It's great to be a part of the community involvement," Hardin said. "It's pretty neat to know people around the community and in the school."

GCU hosted the PacWest SAAC meeting and the Fall Festival designed to make a difference in the local community. Because the school hosted the Fall Festival, the NCAA awarded GCU's $250 to use for SAAC activities.

Hardin and Baker's goal, along with the rest of GCU's SAAC members, is to create more harmony amongst the student body as a whole. SAAC members are encouraged to meet and greet at least one other person they don't know and bring them to the program's meetings.

"My vision for GCU is to connect not only with other teams, but other students as well," Hardin said. "A lot of campuses get separated from, ‘Oh, those are the athletes and those are the non-athletes.'"

Hardin said GCU's SAAC members have received good support from school administrators, adding that Steve Soukup, the school's Vice President of Campus Relations, attends the committee's meetings. She said the university has been responsive enough to allow the committee to voice its opinion on bettering student life at Grand Canyon.  

"Since we're just getting started," Hardin said, "I really want to get our name out there, and just get people to want to be involved, including non-athletes."