Join the Honors College

Administration in the Honors College deeply embrace GCU’s identity as a missional, Christ-centered university. A critical component of the mission within the Honors College is to grow “innovative thinkers, effective communicators, global contributors and transformative leaders.” Thus, all curricular and co-curricular efforts are intentionally and strategically designed to foster our founding pillars of ethics, service, leadership, research and cultural awareness, in addition to the missional foundations and aspirations of the university. 

We collaborate with fellow undergraduate colleges to align honors coursework with the university’s identity and mission while encouraging students to engage their local and global communities. Our students experience a broad exposure to diverse disciplines in an effort to transform academically and intellectually, and are challenged to develop innovative problem-solving skills so they have the opportunity to develop into influential change agents in the workplace and in the community. 

Our mission is that students develop a meaningful sense of purpose and a vocational calling as they integrate faith, theory and practical application throughout their academic journey. Some examples from our curriculum include:

• HUM-109HN, CWV-106HN, HUM-201HN and HON-110
• Honors General Education Requirements – Deeply rooted in faith, service, ethics and effective communication

The Honors College promotes a challenging and enriching learning experience through an interdisciplinary curriculum founded on the pillars of ethics, service, leadership, research and cultural awareness. Our mission is to bring faith and theory into practical application and experiential learning through co-curricular opportunities. 

The Honors College administration and student body value relationships over transactions by promoting deep, meaningful relationships to enrich the honors community and those we serve. Rooted in a Christ-centered community, honors students can embed principles of servant leadership into daily practice through curricular and co-curricular experiences. 

Our students demonstrate servant leadership, character and integrity through service within the GCU community, the local Phoenix community and/or the global community. With a Christ-centered and missional-approach, students engage in ministry, humanitarian outreach efforts, service initiatives and educational programing for underserved populations. Our interdisciplinary student body allows for innovative problem-solving and creative, collaborative approaches to service. The Honors College supports multiple mission trips annually, but also hosts service events and week-long service initiatives locally to offer as many opportunities to students as possible, such as: 

• Service in Action: Service Month
• Medical mission trips with Well Child International
• Faith, Integrity and Service Committee within the Leadership in Action Fellowship

As an interdisciplinary college, honors students engage with GCU’s Christian convictions and Christ-focused curriculum through honors-specific and standard courses. Most honors students take HUM-109HN, CWV-106HN and HON-110, which are honors-specific courses in philosophy, Christian worldview and vocational preparation. These courses, among many others, contain content related to our One Foundation with the Christian worldview woven throughout the curriculum.

From a co-curricular perspective, administration and honors student leaders dialogue and collaborate to ensure there is an intentional and purposeful integration of faith in all events, meetings, speaker series offerings and developmental programs. Topics of ethics, service, integrity and faith are engrained into the culture of the Honors College and honors-hosted offerings.

In alignment with faith-based service, the Honors College supports numerous student-led and operated initiatives, including Service Week, Integrity Week, workshops, mentorship programs supporting personal, academic, and spiritual growth, and alike. Our mission is to empower students to be solution-focused and action-driven in serving their local and global communities, all through the lens of the Christian worldview cultivated through their curricular and co-curricular experiences. Additionally, during the 2024-25 school year, GCU’s Department of Spiritual Life offered over 465 student leader positions that worked to ensure the spiritual growth and well-being of the Lope student body .

The Honors College is committed to developing compassionate, service-focused and purpose-driven contributors that can serve as change agents and transformational leaders in their local and global communities. Our pillar of servant leadership calls on us to put the needs of others before our own. Honors administration and students promote these principles by:

• Placing emphasis on service, ethics, leadership, character, integrity and cultural awareness
• Employing service through local and global engagement (e.g. larger university service opportunities and unique, honors-specific initiatives, including Service Month)
• Engaging in co-curricular experiences (e.g. honors-specific courses, yearly leadership programming and conferences, Character and Integrity Week and professional and leadership development opportunities)
• Reinforcing the need to do what is right over what is easy in the classroom, the workplace and community 

Through a global engagement perspective, the Honors College promotes cultural awareness and global competence by engaging in diverse local and global communities. The international opportunities for honors students can help develop compassionate and empathetic leaders focused on inclusivity and compassion. 

The Honors College believes in both service and servant leadership to promote human flourishing and aims to produce graduates who are prepared to enter the world as servant leaders and change agents. Together the honors curriculum and co-curricular experiences produce interdisciplinary graduates poised to elevate those in need through their vocational and service work. Our students learn and demonstrate that they are called upon to inspire change through advocacy and action.

Our goal is to create a supportive, Christ-centered community of faithful servants who are committed to serving the needs of others before their own and using their God-given gifts to promote human flourishing.