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GCU MAGAZ I NE • 9
sidewalks, always something to see and do,” he said.
Ty Seaton, a junior Sports Management major, noted that the campus
now has distinct neighborhoods, from The Grove residence halls for
freshmen in the northwest corner of campus to his favorite, Lopes Way,
which is akin to a downtown.
“They all come together in a good way with a friendly feel,” he said.
Like so many students, he walks everywhere on the pedestrian-
friendly campus. He shops in convenience stores, often filling his bag
with his favorite sushi and a natural fruit drink. He plays ultimate
Frisbee with neighbors, makes French toast and eggs with roommates,
and grills burgers outside for dinner.
He seldom leaves campus because “I really don’t need to. Everything I
need is right here.”
PART 2:
Eating here
“Most of the students love the
food scene and make it a very
social time.”
Sara Bachofer,
sophomore Biomedical Engineering major
GCU has 26 eateries, four convenience markets stocked with food and
staples, a weekly farmers market and a taco cart. Most are clustered in
the Student Union, Lopes Way and Thunder Alley.
“We’ve created a campus where students never have to leave to eat,”
said Zach Casavant, marketing and communications director for GCU
Dining. “We have a one-stop dining district.”
The residential dining experience is one of the most significant
elements on campus. So it makes sense that students hunger for Lopes
Way — GCU’s food strip — rather than calling it a day at 10 p.m.
Some students close their books and meet up with friends, others
pull out their dinners and books to stay up working late. Favorites
include Subway, Chick-fil-A, Habit Burger and The Grid, the University’s
grocery store.
Just around the corner of Lopes Way at Thunder Alley, students
gather around a fire pit. Some bring their meals, others bring their
guitars and some close their laptops to engage in quiet singing.
On most days, Peter Barranco eats breakfast, lunch and dinner
at a table in the Student Union. He calls it his “kitchen table.” It’s a
gathering spot, a break from classes and the dorm.
“Whenever I want to meet someone, it’s almost always here or at
another one of the restaurants,” the pre-med major from San Diego said.
“It’s not like my kitchen table at home, but it’s pretty close.”
Daniel Pennington, a senior pre-med major from Sacramento, admits
he’s not exactly a five-star chef. But he’s a good enough cook to prepare
most of his meals, preferably healthy, in his campus apartment.
Pennington owns a car, so he has the luxury of leaving anytime to eat
out at Phoenix-area restaurants. But he seldom does.
“There’s everything here,” he said, sipping a white mocha iced coffee
in Grand Canyon Beverage Company. “I’ll never go hungry.”
The student-run GCBC, which opened in August on the second
floor of the Student Union and now has another outlet in Roadrunner
Apartments, quickly has become a popular place to gather.
“An independent coffee shop run by students is my generation’s badge
of honor,” Tims said. “We are a coffee shop culture.”
LOPEVILLE
RISING
VIDEO
Find out more about LopesWay and see the
GCUMagazine cover being shot in videos on
news.gcu.edu.The student-run Grand Canyon Beverage
Company quickly has become a popular
student hangout since opening in August.