Press releases

(May 4, 2022) – Grand Canyon University didn’t have to look far to find its new Provost, promoting Colangelo College of Business (CCOB) Dean Dr. Randy Gibb to the position once Dr. Hank Radda retires on July 15. Gibb, a former Air Force Colonel and command pilot who also held academic leadership roles at the US Air Force Academy and Arizona State University, has overseen the GCU business college for the past eight years. During that time, CCOB has more than tripled its traditional campus enrollment (from 1,900 to more than 6,000), launched a major business incubation center that hires GCU’s students, debuted a new hospitality program centered around the GCU Hotel, created a pathway for students in financial services to complete the Securities Industry Essentials exam while still in school through the new Charles Schwab Foundation Finance Center, and fostered a student-focused entrepreneurial mindset that – like the University itself – emphasizes the ideals of free enterprise and using business as a servant leadership ministry to help others. “Dr. Gibb very much fits the mold of Dr. Radda in that he is accomplished academically but also understands the operational part to be able to build on what Hank has […]

(April 20, 2022) – Grand Canyon University will celebrate the largest graduating class in its history during commencement ceremonies this month, including a traditional ground campus class that is 29% first-generation college students. Approximately 30,000 GCU students completed their degrees during the 2021-22 academic year, bringing the total number of graduates to more than 132,000 in the past five years. The achievements of those students will be celebrated during commencement ceremonies at GCU Arena on April 21-22 for traditional students and April 25-28 for online students. The graduating class includes those who completed their degrees in Summer 2021, Fall 2021 and projected graduates from Spring 2022. “Our graduates are sought after in industries throughout Arizona and the entire world,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “What they learn in the classroom combined with the sense of purpose they cultivate through servant leadership in a Christian worldview context makes them well-prepared to become future leaders in our communities. “What also has me really excited about this graduating class is that 29% of our traditional ground campus graduates identify as first-generation college students. That is a truly transformational number. Those graduates will change the financial trajectory of their families for generations to come.” […]

Grand Canyon University (GCU) has successfully completed a $1.2 billion bond offering to refinance the remaining balance of the secured note that was issued in 2018 as part of the purchase of the University related to its transition back to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit status and additional loans made to acquire capital assets after the transaction closed.

Grand Canyon University, in partnership with Chicanos por la Causa, will host the inaugural Students Inspiring Students Golf Classic at the Grand Canyon University Championship Golf Course on Thursday, November 18. Presented by Pacific Office Automation, the Golf Classic is expected to raise more than $300,000 for GCU’s Students Inspiring Students (SIS) scholarship fund.

(Nov. 16, 2021) – Grand Canyon University announced today it is freezing tuition costs on its Phoenix campus for the 14th straight year, continuing its commitment to make higher education affordable to all socioeconomic classes. The private Christian university’s ground campus tuition in 2022-23 will remain at $16,500 before institutional scholarships are included. Because more than 90% of GCU students qualify for institutional scholarships that totaled $170 million in 2021, that brings the average tuition cost in 2021-22 to approximately $8,700, which is comparable to public universities and well below other private schools. That total does not include federal aid such as Pell grants and subsidized student loans or external scholarships that lower students’ out-of-pocket expenses further. In addition to tuition, GCU students pay an average of roughly $1,100 annually in fees, which is often much less than both public and private universities. According to data from the College Board’s “Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid Report,” since 2008-09 when GCU began its tuition freeze, the average cost for in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges has risen 63% to $10,740, while it has risen 51% to $38,070 at four-year private institutions. “By ensuring that private Christian education is […]

GCU is featured as the first episode in Season 2 of “The College Tour,” an Amazon Prime Video streaming series that offers viewers an inside look at what life is truly like on campus.

Tucson, Ariz. (Nov. 5, 2021) – Nationally and locally, nurses are in demand. But while there are plenty of students passionate about this helping profession, many college and university nursing programs are turning them away. In 2019, more than 80,000 qualified applicants were left behind, due to a lack of nursing faculty, clinical placements and space, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Grand Canyon University’s College of Nursing and Health Care Professions is heeding the call for help with an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in Tucson that is designed to put these health care heroes on the front lines in as little as 16 months. Rooted in GCU’s Christian principles, the program combines the fundamentals and theories of nursing using an innovative e-platform created by Orbis Education Services, and providing hands on nursing skills, immersive simulation experiences, and patient-centered care in clinical and community settings. “The idea is to help the next generation of nurses test their critical thinking and technical skills,” said Kimarie Jeffreys, ABSN program director in Tucson. Students also work in a real-world environment as part of clinical rotations at Tucson Medical Center. Upon completion of the program, students must sit […]

(October 29, 2021) – Earlier today, Grand Canyon University (GCU) refinanced $500 million of the secured note held by Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (GCE). The note was issued in 2018 as part of the University’s transition back to 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit status and allowed the University to purchase all of the tangible and intangible assets comprising the University’s campus from GCE. The refinancing allows GCU to capitalize on today’s low interest rate environment and realize significant interest cost savings. The ability to refinance the note is a reflection of the University’s strong growth and solid financial performance in the three years since reverting to its historical nonprofit status. Recent audited financial highlights include: From the closing of the acquisition on July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021, GCU has generated $341 million in cash from operations. GCU has increased its net assets to $443 million as of June 30, 2021. GCU closed fiscal year 2021 with over $407 million cash on hand. With its strong financial position, GCU has been able to continue to invest in its students, employees and community: From the closing of the acquisition on July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021, the University has reinvested $368 […]

The Colangelo Servant Leadership Awards were presented Tuesday morning to four leaders who have followed in the footsteps of Arizona business and sports icon Jerry Colangelo. David Adame is President and CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa, Bridget Binsbacher is Executive Director of the Cactus League and a member of the Peoria City Council, Dave Donaldson is the co-founder and Chairman of CityServe and Barry Meguiar is President of Ignite America.

(Sept. 1, 2021) − Grand Canyon University’s Bachelor’s degree program in Engineering has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the global accreditor of college and university programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.   ABET accreditation assures that programs meet standards to produce graduates ready to enter critical technical fields that are leading the way in innovation and emerging technologies, and anticipating the welfare and safety needs of the public. “We are very excited to receive this acknowledgment from ABET for the bachelor of science in engineering, which also includes an emphasis in robotics, in its first year of eligibility,” said GCU President Brian Mueller. “This program joins the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and B.S. in Biomedical Engineering programs in this recognition. These innovative, interdisciplinary, project-based programs continue to meet the high standards that GCU academics are known for.” Sought worldwide, ABET’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision, and safety are of the utmost importance. Developed by technical professionals from ABET’s member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn. ABET accreditation […]