College of Theology

For the second consecutive year, GCU made the top 10 of Niche’s Best College Campuses list, scoring a No. 7 ranking (up from No. 8 last year) for its college life — and the accolades don’t end there. The University also is No. 6 on the Best Dorms in America list and No. 7 in Best Online Colleges.

The terminology might sound the same, but when it comes to “nonprofit” and “not-for-profit,” there are subtle differences between the two. So when it comes to referring to Grand Canyon University, it’s important to use the correct terminology: We are a nonprofit.

Campus construction projects are barreling forward this summer, from the addition of 1,000 field-level seats at GCU Ballpark that will put spectators right in the action, to a new Lope Shop, two new residence halls, a soon-to-be-completed parking garage, a new Colangelo College of Business building, a new Canyon Activities Center, and perhaps the most exciting addition for students — a long-anticipated Taco Bell. The projects are on track, many of them expected to be completed by the time students arrive for the fall semester.

The College of Nursing and Health Care Professions traded spaces this summer with the College of Theology. Deans Lisa Smith and Jason Hiles talk about the move and how it has been a benefit for their respective colleges.

A survey on Grand Canyon University’s distinct Christian worldview and integration of faith showed that more than 80 percent of campus, online and evening students identified as Christians. Almost 85 percent of campus students had a positive perception of faith integration and almost 87 percent of online students had a positive one.

Gone are the days of only having the option of earning the traditional bachelor’s degree in English or bachelor’s degree in history. Administrators want to make sure the University’s degrees lead to getting a job. So they’ve consulted with experts in the field and have reshaped many of GCU’s degree offerings, which are now “career-focused,” from a bachelor’s degree in history with an emphasis in public history, for example, to a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in professional writing.

Construction is a staple of summer at Grand Canyon University, but this year it’s even more noticeable. There’s a long list of projects, many of them major additions. Here’s everything you need to know.

“I wanted to pay it back,” GCU Enrollment supervisor Michael Rodriguez said at the GCU Volunteer Fair on Wednesday at the 27th Avenue office building as he signed up at the Big Brothers Big Sisters booth. Rodriguez himself was paired with a Big Brother when he was a kid. BBBS was just one of the 20 GCU-supported nonprofits employees were able to connect with at the fair, an event GCU Community Outreach Manager Debbie Accomazzo calls a “matchmaking opportunity.”

Not many college students get to perform in a venue as big as the 7,000-capacity Grand Canyon University Arena. But that’s not the only boon of performing with the University’s three eight-member Worship Team bands. The student musicians and vocalists also refine their craft, connect with students during Chapel and The Gathering, become family with the close-knit group of Worship Team musicians and, of course, inspire those who listen with messages of faith.

Time after time over three days of commencement, Grand Canyon University volunteers sought to make the experience special for the graduates. One of the ways they do it is the “tunnel walk” after each ceremony — applauding the grads as they walk out of the Arena after the ceremony. It was just one of many memorable moments.