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History of GCU
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Overview

The Beginning as Grand Canyon College

Grand Canyon College was chartered on Aug. 1, 1949, with 16 faculty and approximately 100 students in Prescott, Arizona. In 1951, the college relocated to a 90-acre tract in West Phoenix and was accredited in 1968 by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. Established as a Baptist-affiliated institution with an emphasis on religious studies, the school initially offered bachelor’s programs in education. Programs expanded to include the sciences, nursing, business, music and fine arts. It was during this time when the college started to develop a reputation for producing effective teachers, nurses and healthcare professionals in the Southwest.

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Returning to Historical Roots

campus changes construction.

In 2018, GCU transitioned back to a 501(c)(3) institution, which provided faculty and students with equitable opportunities to:

  • Participate in academic and co-curricular opportunities with peer institutions
  • Operate a philanthropic foundation
  • Provide grant writing and research opportunities for faculty and students
  • Invest in educational infrastructure
  • Allow the university to continue offering tuition at levels that make private higher education affordable for our students
  • Provide employment and career growth opportunities for faculty and staff
  • Continue to invest in the communities where the university serves
  • Permit student athletes to participate in governance opportunities afforded by the NCAA
aerial view of prescott field at gcu campus with students walking on lawn
Transformation

University Transformation and Investment

The university grew its campus student body from fewer than 1,000 students in 2009 to over 24,600 campus students in 2024. GCU’s non-traditional student body increased from approximately 22,000 students at the start of 2009 to over 98,300 online students in Fall 2024.

In Fall 2024, GCU had over 81,700 bachelor’s-level students, nearly 36,500 master’s-level students and over 4,700 doctoral-level students.(See disclaimer 1)

Between 2009 and 2024, the university invested over $1.9 billion dollars — and today, continues to invest in full-time faculty, improved technology infrastructure, new facilities and programmatic expansion in areas such as engineering, computer science and IT. The university has been able to self-fund these investments with only nominal increases in tuition for non-traditional students, while not increasing campus tuition in 15 years.

aerial photo of gcu field.

University Development

GCU's campus continues to grow to meet the needs of students and cultivate higher education learning experiences. Here's a snapshot of the campus today — a home away from home for our Lopes:

  • 6,000-seat GCU Stadium and 7,000-seat GCU Arena
  • Contemporary residence halls and apartments
  • Resort-style swimming pools
  • Recreation and fitness centers
  • Student Union and eateries along Lopes Way
  • Two classroom buildings dedicated to STEM learning
  • The Grove - a community of four suite-style residence halls exclusively for freshmen
  • Division I athletics, club sports teams, intramural sports teams
  • Academic, professional, social and recreational clubs
  • Academic and student support resources
Community

Community Transformation 

West Phoenix is where GCU calls home. That's why GCU stands committed to transforming the surrounding neighborhoods into a safe, thriving place for those in the community. Along with providing academic excellence and a vibrant campus life, GCU believes its purpose is to partner together to implement initiatives in the area that open educational opportunities for all, create jobs, restore housing and reduce crime. GCU calls this United by Purpose. 

One aspect of this transformative endeavor started with the development project at 27th Avenue and Camelback Road. Developed to be the gateway into West Phoenix, this development serves as a commercial hub featuring:

  • A four-story office complex
  • The renovated GCU Hotel and resort-style pool(See disclaimer 2)
  • Cañón 49 and Grand Canyon Beverage Co. coffee shop
  • Business, economic and education innovation center

Campus Enterprises

This development was only the beginning for reshaping West Phoenix into a destination of economic, tourism, business, employment and educational growth. The university, with support from Grand Canyon Education (GCE), has launched 10 business enterprises that employ nearly 500 people. Tremendous transformation is happening now, and the future looks even brighter.

These enterprises include:

Havoc House

Grand Canyon Beverage Company (four locations)

Lope Shops

GCU Golf Course

Canyon Promotions

Cañón 49

Grand Canyon University Hotel(See disclaimer 2)

Inside of canyon 49 grill
  1. Includes all traditional students who have a last date of attendance at least three weeks into the Fall 2024 semester, students who participated in a campus evening class in August or September of 2024 and students who have participated in an online class in August or September 2024.
  2. Operated by GCE for GCU Discover events.
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