Jackie Paul was an inquisitive and talented GCU freshman who walked into a classroom for an informational meeting about Club A Cappella in September 2021. Within a month, thanks to a coaching change and her work ethic, Paul was a co-coach of the rebuilding program. Now, three years later, she begins her fourth year at the helm (and her third as the lone student coach) after tripling the roster numbers in her first three seasons, and leading the Lopes to their first-ever berths at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Southwest Quarterfinals in 2023 and 2024.
The Cave Creek, Arizona native and GCU Music Education major (with a minor in Worship Arts) has accomplished that by demonstrating the love of music in every part of the program. Paul began singing at an early age, joining her first choir as a 2nd-grader and eventually parlaying that knowledge into becoming the Desert View Bible Church worship leader for the past eight years, and even the president of the honors choir for three years at Cactus Shadows High School. She’s also been an honored member of both the Arizona Regional Choir (earning first chair as a high school senior) and the Arizona All-State Choir.
Since arriving at GCU, besides Paul’s club work, she’s been a member of the GCU Local Outreach Worship team, the Canyon Choral Society and the Canyon Chorale, while learning to play various instruments along the way. Outside of campus, Paul refines her singing and performing skills while working for Enchanted Entertainment, which provides performers of favorite children’s characters at children’s parties. Paul also works for Desert Foothills Theater as a music teacher/director, and in the past, worked with preschool through 6th-grade students in the Before and After School care programs as part of the Cave Creek Unified School District.
Paul expects to graduate from GCU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the spring of 2025, and then teach music to students from kindergarten through high school in Arizona.
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