Mesalands partners with GCU online

QCS Staff

Mesalands Community College has signed an educational alliance participant agreement with Grand Canyon University, of Phoenix, Arizona, that will allow Mesalands graduates to pursue online bachelor’s and master's degrees or doctorates.

The partnership also brings a 10-percent discount in tuition and fees to Grand Canyon.

For many students, “the only option is go to school online,” said Rodney Grilliot, doctoral development liaison at GCU. “We like to provide an incentive to help in any way we can to make education more affordable for those that want to complete their degrees.”

Grilliot said for Mesalands’ employees, faculty members, or graduates, the partnership is an opportunity to stay in the area. They can continue taking their coursework online through GCU.

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, GCU has12,000 students taking courses at its Phoenix campus and 45,000 students pursuing degrees online , Grilliot said.

Grand Canyon’s average class size is 15 to 20 students and the university offers over 150 majors.

“We want to expose our faculty and staff to various graduate and doctoral programs. We also want to make these programs affordable,” said Thomas W. Newsom, Mesalands president. “We will continue to seek partnerships with other institutions in order to provide additional opportunities for our students and staff members.”