Photos by Ralph Freso
Welcome Week has finally started at Grand Canyon University, and the campus is bustling.
While family members return home, incoming students are about to find out what the Lope experience is all about. But two students who already know what it means to be at GCU – the ones showing their purple pride the most – are Associated Students of GCU President Judah Floyd and Vice President Gracie Zimbardi.
With a schedule on the first day of move-in starting at 6 a.m. and finishing around 10 p.m., the duo was ready to welcome everyone home.
“I remember coming in bright and early in the morning freshman year, getting checked in with my RA. A whole storm of people took all my stuff to my room for me, met my roommates and spent the whole day going from an event to an event,” Floyd said.
“I hope the students feel like they are coming home and are already part of our family because they are, and it is going to be a great year.”
The university is welcoming more than 24,000 students this week, including 16,000 who are moving into the campus's 33 residence halls.
Floyd and Zimbardi’s mission? Make every student feel welcome and accepted.
So, when 6 a.m. call hit Monday morning, the duo showed up at The Grove, ready to greet students and families.
“I woke up at 5 a.m. but had another alarm ready for 5:01 a.m., just in case. I made breakfast – scrambled eggs, fruit and an energy drink. I got ready within an hour and headed over to The Grove,” Zimbardi said.
“Every night as I get ready for bed, I go through my morning routine in my head to get myself prepared. So, when I wake up, it’s go, go, go.”
Added Floyd, “One of my proudest moments is that it takes me 12 minutes to get ready. I woke up at 5:45 a.m. Also, I don’t believe in breakfast. Instead, I chug an energy drink.”
From Acacia and Willow to Juniper and Ironwood, the duo made their rounds to freshman dorms, joining resident assistants in creating tunnels at building entrances while hyping up students walking in, breaking out into dance circles, cheering with the Thundering Herd Prep Band and creating a lasting first impression of the university.
When Floyd and Zimbardi were sworn in during spring 2026, they did so on grounds of service, community and excellence. These values sit at the core of their administration, shared Floyd.
Increased scooter safety, extended dining hours, additional hammock stands and possible misters around campus are just some of the ways they plan to enhance the college experience on campus this year.
But above all, unity, involvement and community-building is what they want the student body to experience the most.
The best way to show that is by being at the forefront of Welcome Week.
“When I walked into Acacia (residence hall) freshman year, there was a bulletin board with flyers by the elevators. One said, ‘Want to make friends?’ with a QR code to apply for Freshman Class Council,” Zimbardi said. “I didn’t know what I would be signing up for. I just knew I wanted to build a community here.
“I did exactly that by scanning the QR code. I went to all the meetings and immediately thought, ‘Yeah, I found it.’ That made me want to keep doing it in any capacity. It really makes the campus more welcoming to see people who are there for you and want your best interest, (and are) there when you are moving in.”
Floyd and Zimbardi spent their afternoon at Pop-Ups on the Promenade, tabling with various campus programs. The event included such groups as ASGCU, the Canyon Activities Board, Local and Global outreach and the Canyon Civic Institute.
Whether it's student government, civic engagement, event planning or serving in ministries, Floyd and Zimbardi wanted to advocate for student engagement, knowing the endless opportunities are key to having a full college experience.
Another key is making sure to be fueled by Grand Canyon Beverage Co.’s Stampede energy drink.
“Refilling our GCBC every four hours,” Floyd said, is a must to stay energized for their packed day.
Added Zimbardi, “Passion fruit and peach is the best flavor. It’s the first Stampede I had freshman year, and since then, I’ve only had that one.”
When 1:30 p.m. struck, it was time for an outfit change and speech rehearsal to prepare for GCU Welcome Week New Student Orientation, when thousands of students and parents filled Global Credit Union Arena.
Floyd and Zimbardi spent all summer organizing and orchestrating projects, events and campaigns to prepare for their term.
When they stood on the massive arena stage in their coordinating black suits and purple accents and introduced themselves for the first time as the student body president and vice president, the moment they’ve been preparing for all summer finally became real.
“It’s such an honor to be one of the few faces that gets to greet all of our new students,” Floyd said. “I definitely feel the weight of that going up there. I hope they felt the love of the Lord as we prayed over them, blessed them and commissioned them to go into this new season of life.”
Zimbardi added, “A day in life of an ASGCU vice president for Welcome Week is very fulfilling. You talk about things and plan for so long, and now we are finally to the point where we get to do them. Today has been really rewarding.”
Not even a rain shower at the start of the day or finishing off the day being dunked endlessly at the Neon Nights dunk tanks could drown their excitement for the 2026-27 academic year.
“Rain or shine, we stay locked in,” Floyd said.
GCU News staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
