T
im Griffin was a motor sports chaplain for 12
years, six in NASCAR, before coming to Grand
Canyon University in 2010. As pastor and dean
of students, he oversees Student Engagement, Spiritual
Life, Residence Life, Housing and the Health Center,
which includes the Counseling Center. GCU Today
caught up with him to talk about life on campus.
1
What is the best thing about the student
experience at GCU?
You don’t have to leave campus
to find things to do. It’s really on the students — it’s right
at their fingertips. Evenings are a great opportunity for
social and extracurricular engagement that is unique to
Grand Canyon.
2
What is the advice you find yourself giving
studentsmost often?
This time will pass faster
than you think, so take advantage of every opportunity
that is presented to you. Students should plug in early
and find something that they know they will enjoy — or
maybe even something they don’t know but want to try.
They’ll be seniors before they know it.
3
What is your favorite aspect of GCU?
Move-In is
incredible. There is just a buzz the first week.
Also, it’s great to be at graduations because you see these
students who are celebrating all their success that got them
to that point. But outside of just events, I enjoy being in the
eateries on campus, and, strangely enough, I don’t mind
waiting in line because I get to have conversations with
students. That’s a sacred moment for me.
4
Howare Chapel speakers chosen?
We want to
find people who are what we term “broadly
evangelical” and are effective communicators to
millennials, which is why most of the speakers are local
church pastors. We try to keep it simple, and we try to
make it about Jesus and not about political ideas. It is a
place where people can have a simple worship experience.
5
Towhat do you attributeGCU’s success?
God has
allowed this to happen. There’s no doubt about
it. I think He has used a variety of dynamics for this
to become what it is, but the top two are vision in the
leadership and a huge percentage of employees who are
deeply invested in what this is all about. They believe God
wants them to be here, and they have made it their life
mission to help these students grow into young leaders.
—RICK VACEK
5 ON 5 WITH
Pastor TimGriffin, dean of students
Employees were scheduled
to start moving in to the
new Student Life Building,
located just south of the
Student Union, in late April.
The four-story building
will house all of the Student Engagement offices
on the first two floors, Athletics on the third floor
and the Administration and other personnel on
the top level. And that’s just one of a number of
new buildings that will be open for the start of the
2016-17 academic year. There also will be a second
engineering building at the front of campus, three
new apartment buildings and the beautiful soccer
stadium located just west of the Student Life Building.
Oh,
Yeah?
One of the things
Pastor TimGriffin
loves most about
his role as dean of
students is talking
with students on
campus, even if
they’re just standing
in line waiting to
order lunch.
Got Your
Number
When Grand Canyon University
took over management of
Maryvale Golf Course early
in 2015 and did a complete
renovation of the west Phoenix
layout, it figured to get a lot
more play. But this is amazing.
Tee times were in demand
right away when it reopened
as Grand Canyon University
Championship Golf Course
on Jan. 1, and the flowhasn’t
stopped. Here are some
numbers that put in perspective
how successful the course
was in its first threemonths:
1
5
5,511
3,041
$
949,307
$
950,000
Position in Golf Advisor
Power Rankings soon
after it opened
Rainy days in Phoenix,
January-March 2016
Average rounds
per month, January-
March 2016
Average rounds per
month in 2014 when it was
Maryvale Golf Course
Total revenue, January-March
Total revenue in all of 2014
GCU TODAY • 5
