Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow
Grand Canyon University is approaching its 75th anniversary and, over the past 15 years in particular, has experienced tremendous change as the campus continues to expand. One of the colleges that has contributed to this remarkable milestone is the Honors College, which is celebrating its own 10-year anniversary.
On Thursday, the University president, provost, college deans, partners, colleagues and students gathered for an anniversary event with refreshments, award recognitions and celebratory reflection of the decade in the making.
“I never could’ve dreamed it would turn out this way,” said President Brian Mueller. “It has been 75 years of purpose and 15 years of transformation.”
What was once an institute is now a full-fledged college with 2,973 students that offers 263 Honors courses, including nursing, psychology, business management, mechanical engineering and more.
“The growth is one piece, but as we enter this milestone, it really pushes us to recalibrate on where we are going, what we have done, what we want to embody going forward, and this really came from working with our alumni, current students, board members, faculty and staff,” said Dr. Breanna Naegeli, Dean of Honors College.
Founding board members, community partners and distinguished alumni were recognized for their contribution and influence on the program, including:
- Dr. Edmond Baker Jr., Medical Director, Equity Health
- Todd Moen, CEO, Kreativ Launch
- Christine Gannon, CEO, Brightworks Consulting
- Gamma Mu Educational Services Inc. (Lee Topps accepted the award on behalf of the group)
- Athena Valley of the Sun (Dr. Kristine Quade accepted the award on behalf of the group)
- Ryan Corry and St. Vincent de Paul (Belle Rakestraw accepted on behalf of Corry)
- Dr. Thomas Varkey, class of 2017
- Denisse Delos Santos, class of 2019
- Dr. Jessica Symmes, class of 2019
“With our industry partners, faculty, the departments we work with, GCU, GCE – they have wrapped their arms around us and poured into this college so we can have opportunities within opportunities where our students can thrive,” added Naegeli.
Here are some of the milestones those opportunities created that have marked success and contributed to the development of the Honors College in the last 10 years:
- In 2013, the Honors Institute was first launched with only 59 students enrolled in the program.
- In 2015, the Honors Institute officially became GCU’s ninth college, and it celebrated its first Honors students graduating from GCU.
- In 2016, the Dean’s Honors College Advisory Board was established.
- In 2018, the college experienced its highest enrollment, surpassing 2,000 honors students in the program.
- In 2021, the college celebrated graduating 1,000 Honors College alumni.
- In 2022, Honors enrollment averaged roughly 3,000 students, meanwhile surpassing 2,000 honors alumni.
The most recent milestone is the 10th anniversary of the college this year.
These are just a few examples of the significant growth the Honors College has experienced since its launch.
Students from seven different colleges make up the honors student body, comprised of traditional ground, international, student leaders and even first-generation college students.
“When I think of the students graduating and the impact they are going to have all over the country, all over the world and especially right here, it is going to be incredible,” said Mueller.
Within the first two years, the college grew from 59 to 750 students, and that growth did not slow down.
Its chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars is the largest in the country out of more than 330. It holds both diamond status in 2022-23, reserved for the single top performing chapter in the country, and is a three-time platinum status chapter.
“Every year the honors students get better, this being said without any slight toward alumni. Every generation that comes in is amazing. The future is bright,” said Provost Dr. Randy Gibb. “People think of the honors student as these amazing intellectuals, and they are, but more importantly, they all have the heart to serve, and they want to live out their faith by being Jesus’ feet and hands.”
GCU’s Staff Writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected].
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