Grand Canyon University is the nation’s only faith-based, nonprofit university in the North American West. We have been ranked in the Top 25 Christian universities for entrepreneurship for four consecutive years, and have been named No. 1 in the world for Lifelong Learners. Grand Canyon University has a globe-spanning reach with programs in classrooms, online and on the ground globally. In these countries alone, GCU at times has served more than 60,000 students from 180 countries.

Our Notable Alumni

The Honorable Howard C. Nielson Jr., U.S. District Court Judge, District of Utah

Shane Killian, Vice President of Business Development at ENX2 Marketing

Mark Pino, Former NFL Player

Tiffany Lattimore, Director of Logistics and Compliance at Aptiv Solutions Inc.

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grand canyon university ranking

Grand Canyon University is a legitimate and reputable university. There are many factors that make GCU a legitimate and reputable university, including accreditation, sustained growth, professional accreditations and university rankings.

GCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. In addition, GCU is also recognized as an accredited post-secondary education provider by both the Arizona State Board of Education and Council on Higher Education Accreditation (the U.S. Department of Education).

In addition to being an accredited institution, GCU has been ranked among the most innovative schools in America for three years in a row by U.S. News & World Report and was named one of the nation’s best colleges for veterans by Military Times Edge magazine. GCU has witnessed tremendous growth since its inception, growing from just over 1,000 students in 1990 to more than 70,000 today; this sustained growth can be attributed to our commitment to student success and satisfaction.

GCU is proud to offer more than 200 academic programs with numerous professional accreditations such as nursing (CCNE), counseling (CACREP), criminal justice (CAEP) and business (ACBSP).

grand canyon university athletics

Grand Canyon University Notable Alumni

grand canyon university student population

History of GCU

• Home  
•  Why GCU  
•  History & Campus Growth

The Beginning as Grand Canyon College

Grand Canyon College was chartered on Aug. 1, 1949, with 16 faculty and approximately 100 students in Prescott, AZ. 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 health care professionals in the Southwest.

Becoming Grand Canyon University

While planning to change in institutional organization and status to Grand Canyon University, Grand Canyon College identified several landmark events during this transition: organizing programs and departments into colleges, offering graduate degree programs, establishing the Grand Canyon University Foundation and the generosity of those who pledged or gave unrestricted gifts valued at $1 million dollars or more. In May of 1984, college trustees voted to prepare for transition to university status on the school’s 40th anniversary. Then GCU moved from being owned and operated by the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention to being self-owned by the Board of Trustees.

New Mission and Vision

By the early 2000s, GCU struggled with maintaining its operations in light of dwindling financial support. The university faced a critical juncture in September 2003, teetering on the verge of insolvency and facing the prospect of bankruptcy. A small group of investors acquired the university and refocused on online education for working adults. With an improving financial structure, the university recruited a new leadership team in 2008 to envision a future that centered around a hybrid campus strategy—combining traditional students with nontraditional students (primarily working adults studying at the graduate level). The university completed an initial public offering in 2008 to generate the capital necessary to improve its online infrastructure and expand its campus.

University Transformation and Investment

The university grew its campus student body from fewer than 1,000 students in 2009 to over 19,000 ground students in fall 2017, where the incoming student GPA was 3.5. By 2016, more than 75% of the university’s traditional students study in rigorous STEM and business programs. GCU’s nontraditional student body increased from approximately 22,000 students at the start of 2009 to over 60,000 online students currently. Over 47% of GCU’s online student body is studying at the graduate level and that percentage is growing.

In total since 2009, the university had invested over $1 billion dollars—and today, continues to invest in full-time faculty, improved technology infrastructure, new facilities and programmatic expansion in high-growth, high-demand 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 nontraditional students, while freezing tuition for traditional students for 10 straight years.

Returning to Historical Roots

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 to all Americans despite socio-economic class
• 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

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University Development

GCU’s campus continues to grow to meet the needs of students and cultivate world-class learning experiences. Here’s a snapshot of the campus today – a home away from home for our Lopes:

• State-of-the-art GCU Stadium and GCU Arena
• Contemporary residence halls and apartments with resort-style swimming pools
• Recreation and fitness centers
• Student Union and popular eateries along Lopes Way 
• Two new engineering classroom buildings dedicated to cutting-edge 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 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 to live with hope and better futures. 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 starts with the new development project at 27th Avenue and Camelback Road that’s changing the face of the Canyon Corridor. Developed to be the gateway into West Phoenix, this new development will serve as a commercial hub featuring:

• A four-story office complex
• Renovated GCU Hotel, resort-style pool and fitness center
• Canyon 49 Grill and Grand Canyon Beverage Co. coffee shop
• Building that will be home to a future business, economic and education innovation center

This development is only the beginning for reshaping West Phoenix into a destination of economic, tourism, business, employment and educational growth. Our new enterprises (GCU Golf Course, GCU Hotel, Canyon 49 Grill, Grand Canyon Beverage Co.) also play a role in reviving the local community.

Tremendous transformation is happening now, and the future looks even brighter.

Grand Canyon University Notable Alumni

Famous Grand Canyon University Alumni

List RulesPeople on this list must have gone to Grand Canyon University and be of some renown.

List of famous alumni from Grand Canyon University, with photos when available. Prominent graduates from Grand Canyon University include celebrities, politicians, business people, athletes and more. This list of distinguished Grand Canyon University alumni is loosely ordered by relevance, so the most recognizable celebrities who attended Grand Canyon University are at the top of the list. This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn’t necessarily earn a degree from Grand Canyon University.

Alumni include Tim Salmon, Efrain Escudero and more.This list answers the questions “Which famous people went to Grand Canyon University?” and “Which celebrities are Grand Canyon University alumni?”

• Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY1Cody RansomBryan Cody Ransom (born February 17, 1976) is an American former professional baseball utility infielder. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, and Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.
• • Profession: Baseball player
  • Age: 45
  • Birthplace: Mesa, Arizona

• Photo: Metaweb (FB) / Public domain2Tim SalmonTimothy James Salmon (born August 24, 1968), nicknamed King Fish, is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played his entire career with the team known, at various points during his tenure, as the California Angels, Anaheim Angels and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He appeared with the Angels franchise under all three of its recent names.
  • Profession: Baseball player
  • Age: 53
  • Birthplace: Long Beach, California, United States of America
• Photo: UFC3Efrain EscuderoEfraín Escudero (born January 15, 1986) is a Mexican mixed martial artist. He trains under Drew Fickett and competes in the 155 lb (70.3 kg) weight class. Efrain was the winner of season eight of Spike TV’s reality show The Ultimate Fighter
  • Profession: Wrestler
  • Age: 35
  • Birthplace: San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico
• Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY4Chad CurtisChad David Curtis (born November 6, 1968) is an American former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played from 1992 to 2001, for the California Angels, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers. Over his career, Curtis compiled a .264 batting average and hit 101 home runs. Curtis was convicted in 2013 of sexually assaulting three underage girl students while he was a volunteer weight-room strength trainer at Lakewood High School, in Lake Odessa, Michigan, and is serving seven to fifteen years in prison as a felon
  • Profession: Baseball player
  • Age: 52
  • Birthplace: Marion, Indiana
• Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY5Horacio LlamasHoracio Llamas Grey (born July 17, 1973), known in some non-Spanish-speaking countries as Horacio , is a Mexican former professional basketball player. Born in El Rosario, Mexico, Llamas moved to the United States as a teenager. He played for two years at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona, where he earned Arizona Community College Athletic Conference All-Conference honors his freshman and sophomore seasons. Instead of attending an NCAA Division I college, like most NBA players, Llamas chose Division II Grand Canyon University where he earned NCAA Division II Player Of The Year honors during his senior season. He played in the Mexican league many years, he was named the Mexican
  • Age: 48
  • Birthplace: Rosario, Mexico
• 6Paul SwinglePaul Christopher Swingle (born December 21, 1966), is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1993 with the California Angels. He batted and threw right-handed. Swingle had a 0-1 record, with an 8.38 ERA, in 9 games, in his one-year career. He was drafted by the Angels in the 29th round of the 1989 draft. He attended the Grand Canyon University..
  • Profession: Baseball player
  • Age: 54
  • Birthplace: Los Angeles, Inglewood, California
• Photo: Metaweb (FB) / CC-BY-SA7James L. PharrJames L. Pharr, is an American retired fire Marshall and professor of Fire Safety and Engineering Technology, who is active in the fields of fire protection and safety. He has been used as an expert in many legal cases as well as on News and television programs such as ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Inside Edition, Dateline, and the Discovery Channel. His investigation videos have been used on the Myth Busters program as well as The Oprah Winfrey Show. These investigations have dealt with electrostatic induced refueling fires and explosions. He is a part of the IAAI, NAFI, and NFPA..
  • Age: 66
  • Birthplace: Concord, North Carolina
• 8Dave StapletonNot to be confused with Dave Stapleton (infielder).David Earl “Dave” Stapleton (born October 16, 1961) is a retired professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned six seasons, two of which were spent in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Milwaukee Brewers (1987–88). The majority of Stapleton’s career was spent in the minor leagues. His career began in 1984 with the Class-A Beloit Brewers of the Midwest League. During his minor league career, Stapleton compiled a 30–26 record with a 3.43 earned run average (ERA) in 444 innings pitched. Over his two years in the majors, he compiled a 2–0 record with a 3.81 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 28​1⁄3 innings pitched. Stapleton batted and threw…
  • Profession: Baseball player
  • Age: 59
  • Birthplace: Miami, Arizona