Brian Mueller, President of Grand Canyon University, Episode 141
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Brian E. Mueller is an American academic and university administrator. He is the current president of Grand Canyon University and CEO of Grand Canyon Education. Before taking the reins of Grand Canyon University, Brian was the president and a director of Apollo Education Group, the parent company of the University of Phoenix. Brian also held executive positions with the University of Phoenix Online, including CEO, chief operating officer, and senior vice president.
Brian joins us on the show to share what he has built at Grand Canyon University and why he was so committed to building a Christian university that catered to all socio-economic backgrounds. He describes the impact of the 2008 recession on his team’s mission to raise capital to support Grand Canyon’s mission. Brian also describes some of the social programs Grand Canyon is involved in, including CityServe (a network of churches and community service organizations dedicated to helping the needy and transforming broken communities), The Learning Lounge, which supports elementary-age kids, the largest Habitat for Humanity program in the world, and crime prevention initiatives in the local area.
“We believe in partnerships. Christians should be the most collaborative group of people in the world.” - Brian Mueller
“Our goal in coming here was to make private Christian higher education affordable to all socioeconomic classes of Americans.” - Brian Mueller
“What we're learning is the appetite for people in this country to get their young people in an environment where they can learn about the world in the context of the biblical narrative.” - Brian Mueller
This Week on The Wow Factor:
What Brian learned about the value of hard work from an early age
Where Brian went professionally when he left college
Why he moved to Denver, his time as a head basketball coach, and the decision to return to Arizona
How his wife’s big surprise led to Brian leaving his Ph.D. program and signing up to teach at the University of Phoenix
The two key lessons that Brian learned when he was growing the University of Phoenix online
Lessons that Brian has learned about making private Christian higher education affordable to all socioeconomic classes of Americans through Grand Canyon University
Why Brian’s past experience in raising money through capital markets gave him a vision for how to fund Grand Canyon University, which has meant they haven’t had to raise tuition fees in 14 years
How Brian went about marketing the university and increasing the number of students so dramatically
Brian’s five-point plan for achieving his vision for Grand Canyon University’s role in building a Christian community here
Brian Mueller’s Words of Wisdom:
When people ask me about leadership, I always tell them that vision is the most critical component. You have to see the future; you have to focus on who your customer is and stay focused on getting better every day, every week, every month, and every year to stay out in front of the competition. The Church needs to develop leaders who are visionaries who are forward-thinking so that the Christian community can lead the world and not react to the world.
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