Recent News

Among 30 speech and debate teams, GCU finished runner-up to Concordia University of Irvine, Calif., on Sunday at the Sunset Cliffs Classic Tournament at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Jess Kennedy, Tommee Gleason and Xanthia Clow led the speech team. Kennedy won two events in the novice division and was named the second-ranked speaker of the tournament. Gleason clamed a pair of third-place finishes and reached the finals in two other events and Clow placed third in two events. Two debate pairs (Matthew Calderwood-Grace Laidlaw and Ben Kuykendall-Joseph-Madere) advanced to the top eight.

The majority of the seven presentations in the second annual Kevin McClean Research Colloquium featured work that can be applied in the classroom. That’s no accident. GCU adheres to the Boyer model of scholarship, which goes beyond research and extends to application and integration.

After months of preparation and anticipation, junior Jordan Montgomery became the first GCU student to receive a position through the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program. The electrical engineering major and Honors College student told GCU Today how it happened. “This basically sets me up for 10 years,” she said.

The creativity of the Samuel Yonan-Bret Malkin campaign paid dividends when all the votes were counted late Friday night. Yonan-Malkin were elected as president and vice president, respectively, of the Associated Students of Grand Canyon University (ASGCU) over the team of Jacob Montgomery and Anthony Clark. Along with humorous posters, the winning pair used an interactive billboard to exchange ideas with potential voters, asking them to write down what they “Don’t Stop Believing in …’’. Among their proposed initiatives for the 2019-2020 academic year: a Church Fair and adding a House of Representatives to ASGCU to include more students. One member from each of the approximately 150 clubs on campus would comprise the HOR.

Complex foreign policy issues proved challenging but not daunting for GCU’s extemporaneous speech team members at the Jannese Davidson Memorial Tournament at Concordia University in Irvine, Calif. On the strength of a first place, a runner-up and a fourth-place finish by extemporaneous speakers, GCU placed second overall behind Point Loma Nazarene, in a 24-team event. GCU students spoke about issues impacting China, Venezuela and the European Union.

Hundreds of students played neon-themed ladder ball, cornhole, Jenga, skee ball and basketball, sipped hot cocoa and made their own s’mores at the annual Winterfest on Thursday night at The Grove lawn. Read the account written by a GCU student, Erin Honeycutt.

An estimated crowd of 5,000 sixth- to ninth-graders from schools across Arizona filled GCU Arena on Tuesday for the Speak Up Stand Up Save a Life Youth Conference, designed to fight the climbing suicide rate among young people. “It’s schools, law enforcement and business leaders all coming forward to make a difference,” said Gina Godbehere, an attorney in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and one of the organization’s founders.

“You’re a collector of Coca-Cola products!” “You’re a flight attendant who accidentally boarded a cruise!” GCU students threw suggestions at their teammates, who had seconds to create a character, right then and there, as part of an improv workshop Saturday. The workshop was helmed by improvisationists with The Second City Touring Co., who were in Phoenix performing in “It’s Not You, It’s Me” at Phoenix Theatre. It was the first time talent from The Second City, which launched the careers of Steve Carell, Mike Myers, Jordan Peele and Tina Fey, to name a few, led a workshop on campus. “These opportunities are few and far between,” senior history and secondary education student Garrett LaPorte said.

Grand Canyon University has concluded a review of allegations of misconduct against the coaching staff of the women’s soccer program from six of the program’s current and former student-athletes and their parents who are seeking the dismissal of the coaching staff and more than $125,000 in compensation from the University.

Just a day after GCU’s music faculty hosts the All-Regional Honor Band Audition Workshop, they’ll be nestled in the University’s Recording Studio on Tuesday night for the faculty recital, “Duets.” Adjunct clarinet professor Tim Haas will perform duets with flutist Dr. Jenna Daum, oboe instructor Dr. Rachel Messing, tuba player Kevin Bock, guitarist Dr. Jonathan Crissman and alto saxophone player Dr. Scott Zimmer. Also performing will be GCU alumna Grace Baughman. “We have some major faculty here. I always love collaborating with the faculty because they’re so good,” said Haas of the concert, which starts at 7:30 p.m.