Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow
Finest dapper suits and gowns dazzled at the Amethyst Gala Friday evening as Grand Canyon University leadership, community partners and city officials gathered to celebrate another remarkable academic year.
The lavish event transformed the Canyon Activity Center into an extravagant ball room in honor of the Ingram Honors College, where its supporters pledged $5.6 million to benefit its ambitious growth initiatives.
“We believe this university exists with a far greater mission of Christ to transform lives and influence the world,” Ingram Honors College Dean Dr. Breanna Naegeli said. “Tonight, we gather to invest in the next generation of leaders called to carry that mission forward."
The Ingram Honors College emerged as an institute in 2013 with just 59 students, but within two years, it reached 750 students and became the university’s ninth college in 2015. Today, it touts nearly 3,000 students, representing more than 140 programs offered at GCU.
In February, the college announced its new name, the Sheila and Mike Ingram Honors College, and just two weeks ago, ground was broken on its future home, a standout facility at the entrance to campus.
The gala was a celebration of the incredible growth and the new chapter the college has stepped into, striving to become one of the most impactful honors colleges in the nation.
“I believe God blessed us the way He has because He wants us to bring light into the darkest place of Phoenix,” University President Brian Mueller said. “About four months ago, I said to honors students I want to hear about your experience with the Honors College. I opened it up and it was like a tsunami. The experience they were having in that community, was a community they had built and were proud of.
“They were proud that they were 3,000 students leading a student body of 25,000. I started to think that this is a moment in time. This is an opportunity to turn these 3,000 into 7,000 and have them lead a campus of 50,000 because I think that is what’s going to happen. We are going to just keep growing because God is doing something.”
Mueller was the recipient of the first Amethyst Award at last year’s gala that was a culminating event of the university’s yearlong 75th anniversary celebration.
This year, college’s namesake Sheila and Mike Ingram and Pono Construction builder Butch Glispie were honored with Amethyst Awards for their innovation, dedication and commitment to the Ingram Honors College.
With their support, students will receive a new honors 51,000-square-foot facility slated to open in fall 2026. It will feature classrooms, study lounges and collaborative spaces designed to foster academic and professional excellence and spiritual formation.
“I can’t begin to express how much I have learned during my time working here," Glispie said. “This is one of the best examples of servant leadership that I have seen.
“Everything I did, every thought and decision, is focused on ensuring students are safe, supported and provided with the education they need. These buildings did not get built by one person. It makes all of us working together for a vision to become reality.”
The evening featured moving remarks by university leadership and its faithful partners including a keynote speech from best-selling author John C. Maxwell, National Anthem performance by singer Steve Amerson, a paddle-raising benefit and a closing performance by Critical Mass.
But the most moving part of the evening came when cybersecurity senior Jordan Ward stood in front of the large crowd and shared the personal impact he has experienced from his involvement with the Ingram Honors College.
Raised by his great aunt and great uncle whom he calls mom and dad, Ward learned the power of community and responsibility of pouring into others at an early age. He saw the same qualities exemplified in the Ingram Honors College and began to understand the importance of those qualities on a new level.
“I didn’t arrive here as someone extraordinary. I arrived as an average student with potential but without direction,” Ward said. “I don’t think I fully understood what that (community) meant until I stepped into the Ingram Honors College. It’s in the way people challenge you to build you up. It’s in the way purpose is spoken about as a calling and faith is not just something you believe in, but something you walk in.
“Here we are challenged by professors who refuse to let us think small, by peers who bring perspectives we never consider, who push us beyond what is comfortable and into what is necessary for growth. The Ingram Honors College doesn’t just shape students, it shapes leaders, people who think differently, lead with purpose and serve with intention.”
Though the college has already developed significantly and reached impressive records, it is only the beginning of what is yet to come. To Mike Ingram, the secret of this success lies in keeping God in the center and remaining focused on the mission.
"We got a big job ahead of us but if we keep the Lord centered in our lives and don’t lose sight of that, there is no doubt in my mind the Lord will continue to bless what He has already blessed over all these years," Ingram said.
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
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GCU News: Ingram Honors College sends off first graduating class
GCU News: Ingram Honors College breaks ground on future home
GCU News: More than GPA: Ingram Honors College is developing leaders and a showcase home
