Recent News

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.

The Colangelo College of Business Dean’s Speaker Series brought another industry leader to campus Tuesday. Students got to hear from Greg Hanover, who told them fascinating tales about his former career as an executive in the National Hockey League. But Hanover’s talks to multiple classes also included a very important message: Be prepared to work long hours and don’t plan on making a lot of money starting out.

The Colangelo College of Business Dean’s Speaker Series kicked off for the spring semester Thursday, and first up was someone who has first-hand experience of what it’s like to go from the corporate world to a startup. Rachel Mertensmeyer explained to students what it takes to succeed besides the guts to take a chance.

It’s a legacy as big as the state of Texas: Kelly Taylor and five other members of her family have been online students at GCU since 2011. “I think the support system with GCU makes working on a degree much easier,” said Tammy Jones, one family member, who encouraged her mother, then 75 years old, and daughter to also become Lopes.

It’s been a big year so far, but there’s more to come in 2018-19. The spring semester will kick off with the grand opening of the new 150,000-plus-square foot Colangelo College of Business Building on Jan. 9 and will barrel forward through April and May with signature events such as the Canyon Challenge, Mr. GCU, the Theatre Department’s presentation of Holocaust drama “Who Will Carry the Word,” Serve the City in February, the Roadshow Tour at GCU Arena, basketball and much more. Check out some highlights from GCU Today’s 2019 Winter-Spring Calendar.

GCU’s support for St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, through its Give With Purpose employee fundraising campaign, was borne out in several ways the last two months. There were the food bank events that featured plenty of GCU volunteers, and then there was the biggest prize of all — the record check presented to St. Mary’s representatives at the men’s basketball game Saturday night. The total was made possible because the University and Pono Construction matched the cash donations of employees.