Colleges

Grand Canyon University President and CEO Brian Mueller is among national leaders of universities, businesses and other organizations invited to attend the White House College Opportunity Summit in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Dec. 4. The conference recognizes educational institutions and other community stakeholders committed to developing college graduates who can put their skills to use in the American workforce. “Grand Canyon is pleased to be part of this national discussion about how to best educate our young people, prepare them for fruitful careers that support Arizona cities and towns, and make college education as accessible as possible to a wide range of students,” Mueller said. Over the past few years, the University has intensified its efforts to ensure that a high-quality, affordable college education is available to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Nearly 18 months ago, Grand Canyon and the Phoenix Union High School District announced a partnership with Alhambra High School to develop the “Learning Lounge” on the University campus, where college students mentor high school students to assist them in improving their academics and expose them to the vast possibilities of a college education. After just one year, nearly 300 Alhambra students have visited the Learning Lounge […]

The latest edition of GCU Today Magazine — featuring a comprehensive look at the University’s new plan to strengthen its west Phoenix neighborhood — is available here. The December issue also has a story about GCU nurturing its spiritual-life roots, a feature on the men’s basketball team’s debut on the national sports stage and an article about what a new name and a new dean mean for students in the Colangelo College of Business. Don’t miss our stories about alumni Gustavo Anton’s journey to medical school and Michelle Lara’s road to recovery from a near-fatal accident, plus a profile of online student Komi Lokossou, a broadly smiling goodwill ambassador on GCU’s main campus.

The busy-ness in the Colangelo College of Business has been noticeable this fall — new dean, new name, new initiatives.

Story by Bob Romantic Photos by Darryl Webb GCU Today Magazine Six-year-old Gadiel walked up to Louis Falk at the dedication ceremony for his family’s new home and offered two simple words: “Thank you.” For Falk, who taught Gadiel to use a hammer on the first day of the Habitat for Humanity project to build their home in Mesa, those words resonated more than he could have imagined. “That was amazing,” Falk, a freshman at Grand Canyon University, said of his first experience as a Habitat volunteer two years ago. “It’s just heartwarming to see how grateful these people are.” Vanessa Garcia, a 27-year-old administrative assistant at GCU, had a similar encounter at her first Habitat experience five years ago. “It was for a single mom with two kids who couldn’t afford a home on her own,” Garcia said. “To see it from beginning to end, every Saturday morning, and watch her dream come true, the impact is just incredible.” Garcia and Falk have been hooked on Habitat ever since those initial experiences. So when GCU announced it was embarking on a first-of-its-kind partnership with Habitat for Humanity to revitalize an entire community of homes in its neighborhood over the […]

Grand Canyon University public safety officer and online master’s student Komi Lokossou is known around campus for his endearing personality and infectious smile. He overcame two brushes with death and seven years as a refuge before coming to America. He considers GCU the “promise land” and feels called by God to serve others.

Story by Janie Magruder Photos by Darryl Webb GCU Today Magazine The trinity of sacredly held campus ministries at Grand Canyon University — small group Bible studies, chapel services and local/global outreach activities — not only are surviving unprecedented student population growth, they are thriving amidst it. Call it a God thing. “The more people who come, the more opportunities we have to impact the kingdom, and it’s up to us to figure out how to reach them,” said Dean of Students Pastor Tim Griffin. “God is allowing thousands and thousands and thousands to come to this campus, and it’s a great opportunity that we don’t want to miss.” Upon Griffin’s arrival at GCU a little more than four years ago, he spelled out spiritual life at GCU and drew a line in the sand with Christian organizations clamoring to provide those services on campus. In those early days, Griffin might have felt like Daniel in the lion’s den. “We told them they were welcome on campus but that they would have to do something different from small groups, worship and outreach,” he said. “We defined our field of play, what the rules would be and how we would engage […]

Grand Canyon University alumnus Gustavo Anton overcame dyslexia to excel in GCU’s premed program prior to finding his way to Midwestern University, where he is following his dream to become a pediatric surgeon.

Faculty and students in GCU’s dance department have been working on their winter dance show, “Balance/Opposition,” since last fall. On Friday and Saturday, beginning at 7:30 p.m., the talented artists will present a sophisticated series of pieces that communicate the trials of humans through movement. Be prepared to laugh and cry.

Story by Janie Magruder Photos by Alexis Bolze GCU News Bureau Like one of those resonant quotations that’s attributed to “anonymous,” the origins of the unusual — and possibly unique — student chaplaincy post, which has been embraced by the College of Fine Arts and Production at Grand Canyon University, might never be known. Assistant Dean Dr. Juan Hernandez began allowing music students to select chaplains from among their peers several years ago during preparations for a concert. The request came from students, who wanted to designate someone to handle their spiritual needs before, during and after rehearsals, Hernandez recalled. “Our students spend a significant amount of time together,” he said, “and so it became a way for them to create community, to take ownership of their work and their activities in a way that was not just them being told what to do, and to promote the University’s initiative of faith, learning and leadership.” It was so successful that Hernandez’s students now elect two of their own at the beginning of each school year as ensemble shepherds. With the endorsement of Dean of Students Pastor Tim Griffin, the College of Theology and COFAP Dean Claude Pensis, this voluntary spiritual […]

More than 130 aspiring doctors, dentists, veterinarians and other GCU future health care professionals toured Midwestern University in Glendale on Thursday and interacted with faculty and students from a range of graduate programs. Through a series of agreements announced this fall, Midwestern set aside 66 seats in a range of its graduate programs — including osteopathic medicine, optometry, physical therapy and cardiovascular perfusion — for GCU students who meet the rigorous requirements for acceptance.