Thousands of students begin new chapter on move-in day at GCU

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - It's back to school for Grand Canyon University.

For a busy week ahead, the move-in mania started early this morning. Parents and students waited in long lines of traffic from Interstate 17 all the way to 35th and Camelback.

But before heading into the classroom, students are settling into campus life.

"I feel excited. I'm going to start my new chapter here on campus," one student said.

"Well, it's just really nice helping out all the new freshman," another student said. "Doing that just gets them the good energy that GCU has and brings them into the new environment that they will be in."

With trunks and backseats packed to the brim and boxes of belongings, there's everything necessary to start a new chapter.

Sweet goodbyes quickly turned into warm welcomes where over 1,200 student volunteers helped thousands of incoming students move into on-campus dorms.

University President Brian Mueller says the start of the semester marks a new era for GCU.

"It just keep growing, it just gets bigger every year," he said. "Largest incoming class...7,100 students, 1,200 volunteers... five days this will go on."