Grand Canyon Education

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Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Grand Canyon Education, Inc., incorporated in 2008, is a publicly traded education services company that currently serves numerous university partners. As of Dec. 31, 2024, GCE provided education services to 22 university partners across the United States. GCE is uniquely positioned in the education services industry, with leadership that brings 30 years of proven expertise in delivering a full array of support services within the postsecondary education sector. Over the years, GCE has developed substantial technological solutions, infrastructure and operational processes designed to deliver quality service at scale.

GCE provides services that support students, faculty and staff at partner institutions. Depending on each partner's needs, these services may include marketing, strategic enrollment management, counseling services, financial services, technology, technical support, compliance, human resources, classroom operations, curriculum development and faculty recruitment and training.

Suite of Services

Our business model has been instrumental in helping our university partners navigate the changing educational landscape and the financial pressures exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. In line with our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles, we remain committed to supporting the long-term resilience and sustainability of our partners. Our collective efforts contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and socially responsible higher education ecosystem.

The following describes the services we can provide to university partners. Services provided to a given university partner depend upon the nature of programs supported by GCE, existing university infrastructure and university partner preferences.

University Counselors

UCs are dedicated to the enrollment, retention and graduation of qualified students. Based on admission requirements and transfer policies, UCs review academic transcripts and use a proven pre-evaluation process to ensure prospective students have a clear understanding of transferable credits and remaining credits to complete their degree program.

UCs communicate to prospective students:

  • The university's classroom expectations
  • All estimated program costs
  • All available financial resources
  • The estimated cost to complete their degree program using our Net Price Calculator
  • The required technological skills and equipment necessary for online schooling
  • Licensure or certification requirements, if applicable

Student Services Counselors

Student Services Counselors (SSCs) have a unique role that combines academic and financial counseling to comprehensively support each student's goals. They serve as a single point of contact from the start of a student's program through graduation. SSCs work with a graduation team, which can include UCs and/or faculty members.

They counsel and educate students on:

  • Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
  • University policies and procedures
  • Available resources to ensure students meet their anticipated date of graduation (if they follow the schedule provided)

Student Records Management

Student Records Management supports GCE counselors with all academic and classroom related requests. Prior to a student enrolling in a degree program, this department provides prospective students:

  • An unofficial pre-evaluation within 24-hours based on the university's transfer policies
  • A transparent degree plan
  • Application of transfer credits to a student's record, based on university acceptance decisions
  • Data entry of potential transfer credits for university evaluation
  • Classroom scheduling support based on program requirements determined by the university
  • A preliminary time-to-completion date if the suggested schedule is followed

After students have selected and applied to a degree program, GCE’s Student Records management uses proprietary technology to capture the university's evaluation of institutional transfer credits and applies that to the student record.

Additionally, this department uses weekly evaluations to maintain optimal class size, and processes any status change requests or program changes a student may need during his/her time at the university.

Admissions

GCE provides prospective students with transparent information on program requirements, finance options, estimated degree time to completion and net price calculator results in alignment with university partners' standards. GCE has developed a comprehensive system to efficiently evaluate transcripts and build schedules for prospective students. GCE processes applications in alignment with the university partners' admission standards.

Financial Aid Operations

GCE provides financial aid services, including awarding, certifying, originating and disbursing Title IV program funds to students. We also deliver Title IV credit balance refunds, process returns of Title IV funds to the federal government when appropriate and offer financial aid counseling as well as entrance and exit loan counseling. In addition, we prepare required reports, such as enrollment reporting to the National Student Loan Data System and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. GCE has also built a proprietary system, the Financial Transparent Degree Plan Calculator, which provides students with the full cost of their program.

Marketing and Communications

We provide comprehensive marketing and communication support designed to strengthen brand presence, enhance outreach and engage prospective students effectively. These services span a range of strategic and creative functions, as outlined below. GCE's marketing leadership team approaches the marketplace with a strong focus on integrated marketing strategy and emerging technologies, while also leveraging GCE's buying power. This approach blends proven traditional and digital methods and is developed in close collaboration with our university partners. Marketing and communication services may include the following:

GCE's subject matter experts use best-in-class technologies, such as marketing automation, integrated email, SMS text messaging and social media. We develop communication strategies that support the entire student lifecycle, from prospect through alumni.

GCE's award-winning team has a proven track record of building strong brands and ensuring the right image reaches the consumer. Our expertise includes storytelling shaped by logo creation, positioning taglines, campaign and content development, custom music and sonic branding.

GCE offers full service media planning and strategy to grow sophisticated brands through traditional and digital platforms. We understand how today's audiences consume content and create strategies that build lasting connections with measurable results.

GCE's in-house video team produces content across numerous marketing channels. Capabilities include broadcast quality commercials, explainer videos, short and long form documentaries, original programming, animations, motion graphics and social media ready short form content. Preferred production partners supplement our internal team to support workload and scalability.

GCE employs an in-house team of data analysts who apply descriptive and prescriptive analytics to understand the marketplace and support key business decisions. Areas of specialty include predictive modeling, data mining and visualization to inform a technology and data driven marketing environment.

GCE's market research team analyzes market, population and job data nationwide to make data driven recommendations for new sites, partnerships and educational offerings. These insights help determine where programs can achieve the greatest reach and impact.

Human Resources

Human Resources (HR) offers the following comprehensive services:

  • Preventing and resolving workplace issues
  • Consulting with business leaders and employees on performance management
  • Developing HR policies
  • Business unit restructures
  • Workforce planning and formal complaint investigation and response
  • Compensation consulting, including assistance in creating job descriptions, conducting market compensation, headcount and turnover analyses and managing salary administration plans
  • Support hiring decisions for personnel and assist employee recruitment processes, including sourcing, interviewing and onboarding employees
  • Implementing an HR system technology with automated HR business processes

Learning and Development Training

The Learning and Development Training department supports university employees from the point of new hire orientation and onboarding through advanced training curriculum and compliance modules. These activities are available through face-to-face learnings, online learning modules and webinars. Additionally, staff and management development programs are offered on a regular basis to support the growth of the organization. A separate division of this department evaluates calls between staff and students or prospective students to ensure compliance with internal procedures.

Technology and Tech Support

We provide 18/7 technical support for students and faculty. Two systems are used to deliver these services. GCE hosts and maintains a technology platform that serves as an online communication portal for university students, faculty, course coordinators, course assistants, interns and staff. This portal supports online applications, course delivery, communications, student portfolio development and maintenance, placement services and more.

GCE also provides students with online access to the GCU Student Portal, which includes electronic course materials, student information and contact management systems.

Technical support is offered to all students enrolled in partner institutions. In addition, an IT Help Desk supports employees with:

  • Staff desktop technology
  • Classroom technology
  • Point-of-sale (POS) terminal
  • Phone and cell service
  • Software applications
  • Campus networking
  • Licensing
  • Library integration
  • Data analytics and reporting
  • Cybersecurity services
  • And more

Faculty Operations

Faculty Operations helps recruit and schedule faculty based on qualifications and the university's requirements. It administers faculty training and provides ongoing faculty development.

While our partner institutions determine the qualifications for each course, GCE recruits and screens qualified candidates, and schedules faculty based on university partner-created requirements. GCE provides partner institutions with accurate accrual of faculty payments, saving the institution time and money and leveraging GCE's scalable systems.

Business Operations

GCE offers its partners the ability to increase their reach to students not currently available to the institution. Our business solutions ensure that overall business needs are managed and monitored on behalf of partner institutions. Operational services provided include:

  • Accounting services such as payroll, accounts payable, student accounting, financial reporting and budgeting
  • Procurement services and costs savings to partner institutions by securing products and services, including travel services, office products and invoice management
  • Annual audit plans and assistance in performing internal auditing services

Curriculum Services

GCE has a curriculum content department that provides design and conversion services to our university partners. Working collaboratively, we assist with program and course design by offering curricular recommendations that leverage the technologies and methods within the learning management system. GCE developed a proprietary system to support these services. GCE's Curriculum Services recommends content and techniques that use the capabilities of the Halo Learn system to meet the needs of students and faculty. Partner institution faculty work with GCE to identify and license academic resources relevant to their programs and courses, ensuring students have the materials needed to support their academic goals.

Procurement Department

GCE provides procurement services including management of purchasing and vendor relationships, including travel services, review of vendor contracts and maintenance of contracts in the procurement system.

If you have questions about becoming a new supplier or would like to view our procurement policies visit our Doing Business with GCE page.

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