Recent News

GCU’s longest and no doubt best Welcome Week is almost here, and with all the changes on campus people figure to have more than a few questions. Here are the answers to the most important ones.

Oh say, can you see yourself singing the national anthem at a GCU home athletics games this year? If so, come out to the national anthem open auditions Sept. 15 in GCU Arena and try to earn a spot. The anthem can be sung or played on an instrument, and remember to dress professionally and memorize the lyrics (if singing). To register, email your full name, phone number and what instrument you’ll play (if applicable) to [email protected] While you wait for auditions, gargle salt water, sing scales to warm up your vocal cords and read more here.

Piggybacking on last week’s Back To School Clothing Drive event held in GCU Arena, the University continued its strong community outreach over the weekend hosting the 11th annual Ninos Seguros Back to School & Safety Fair. More than 5,500 Valley youth and their families were in Antelope Gym to receive free school supplies and health screenings from GCU nurses and win prizes like bikes, laptops and iPads. Even Phoenix Councilman Daniel Valenzuela was in attendance to make the event one of the best yet.

Much of the furniture is in place and all four residence halls in The Grove, the new hub for freshmen on the northwest side of Grand Canyon University’s campus, are on track to be open for the start of the school year. But you don’t have to walk far to see all the other projects that have been completed or are in motion.

Grand Canyon University Arena will be buzzing with more than 5,000 Valley children on campus July 13-16 for the 21st annual Back to School Clothing Drive. The event pairs underprivileged K-6 students with volunteers who help them pick out new, donated clothes and school supplies for the fall. If you haven’t seen it yet, imagine the Arena converted into a giant store for kids that otherwise might not have access to new shirts, shoes, backpacks and other essentials for the new school year.

Dr. Charles Cooke, who passed away last month at age 89, was a fixture at GCU for 35 years. His son and longtime friend shared their memories of a man who went out of his way for people every chance he got.

GCU News Bureau The most spirited visitors to Terre Haute, Ind., since Larry Bird played college basketball there in the late ‘70s were at Indiana State University last week. There, more than three dozen student leaders from 20 universities attended the inaugural convention of the National Collegiate Student Section Association. The Grand Canyon University Havocs were there, of course. (Click here to see photos.) Senior Brandon Kaiser, the Havocs president, and junior Trevor Knotts, vice president of the Lopes rowdy student section, joined others from small schools (D-3 Hope College) and giants (University of Arizona) at the three-day meeting. Kaiser and Knotts attended sessions about finances, social media and ethics and gave a presentation on GCU’s spirit strategy. Kaiser, a member of the NCSSA’s executive board, also led a discussion on marketing. “The goal is to build bridges, create relationships and mutual respect, to display school pride and support of our athletic programs and to build camaraderie among students,” he said. The GCU pair also participated in the conference “swap shop,” handing out Lopes T-shirts, drawstring bags, hats, flags, stickers and other gear, and brought home swag from the other universities. The NCSSA was launched last year by Jacob Pauly, […]

Eight members of Grand Canyon University’s chapter of the AzHOSA health care professions organization are off to Anaheim, Calif., today to compete in HOSA’s 38th annual National Leadership Conference, where they will face some of the top students of pre-med and other health care undergraduate programs from around the U.S.

Dr. Jean Mandernach has an impressive list of accomplishments especially in the world of academia, having published more than 85 scholarly journal articles and 11 book chapters on online education. But her most recent accomplishment may be her best. Mandernach co-authored “Evaluating Online Teaching: Implementing Best Practices,” the first comprehensive book focusing on measuring quality of online teaching, with Dr. Thomas Tobin of Southeastern Illinois University and Dr. Ann Taylor of Penn State University. The book currently is ranked No. 1 in two Amazon categories.

Dr. Melanie D. Logue, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, is joining the 11-member Arizona State Board of Nursing. Gov. Doug Ducey recently appointed Logue, a GCU alumna who has 25 years of nursing practice and education under her belt, to a five-year term. GCU Today has the details.