Grand Canyon University Plans Mesa Campus for 2015

With Arizona's economy still recovering from the Great Recession, many unemployed and under-employed workers are looking to gain a competitive edge by going back to school. This has been good for Grand Canyon University, a for-profit private Christian university located in Phoenix.

While other for-profit schools such as DeVry University and University of Phoenix are feeling the pinch of the economic times, Grand Canyon continues to grow. Now, the university has announced plans to build a satellite campus in Mesa, Arizona which is expected to open in 2015.



The news comes as construction continues at Grand Canyon's main campus at 3300 N Camelback Road. Since going public in 2008, the University has launched into a massive renovation of their 100-acre campus. They have built new classrooms, a parking garage, a new chapel, a dining hall, and multiple high-rise dormitories. The crown jewel of the project is a 5,000 seat event center which opened in 2011.

Grand Canyon is a private university which means that unlike Arizona State, Northern Arizona, and University of Arizona, they do not receive any of their operating income from the State. This allows them to keep tuition prices stable as they fund construction costs through private investment and by selling shares of stock on the NASDAQ.

Now, GCU has purchased 160 acres of land in Mesa to build a second campus. Mesa is the second largest city in the Phoenix area with approximately 450,000 residents. Grand Canyon offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees to more than 40,000 students. The school is flexible around your schedule with traditional campus, nighttime classes and online programs.

Grand Canyon University is a frequent topic on this blog, as I am a graduate of the Class of 2011. We will keep you updated on the story as more information becomes available.