MAG News

Arizona Christian University (ACU) is on the move! ACU will be moving from its current location to a new Glendale campus, the former home of Thunderbird School of Global Management. This announcement follows the completion of a land exchange agreement through which ACU is exchanging land of equal value—its former campus on Cactus Road in Phoenix—with Arizona State University (ASU) for a portion of the campus formerly occupied by the Thunderbird School. The move will take place with the start of the 2019-20 school year in August.

“Arizona Christian University has been at capacity at its current location for the last few years,” said ACU President Len Munsil. “This opportunity to grow and serve our student body is unprecedented. The buildings, IT equipment, student housing, facilities and amenities that were a part of the Thunderbird campus will now be revitalized and utilized by Arizona Christian University faculty, staff, and students.”

Arizona Christian University is an accredited, private, nonprofit Christian University offering numerous liberal arts degrees. ACU is ranked among the nation’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report for the second straight year.

President Munsil discussed the move with the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Economic Development Committee (EDC). Munsil noted that campus size increases from the 20 acres at Cactus Road and 25^th Street, to nearly 69 acres at 59^th Avenue and Greenway. That expansion will bring ample on-campus student housing, a swimming pool, an expansive library 10 times the size of the current library, nearly three times as many parking spaces, a campus store, a coffee shop, a huge student union and dining hall, and space for athletic teams to practice and compete on-campus.

“ASU’s recognition of the value of diversity options in higher education was critical in making this happen”, said President Munsil. “Led by Dr. Michael Crow, President of ASU, we’ve worked together in a community mixed way to spur economic development.” ASU’s Angela Creedon told the EDC that the school still has 72 acres of property in Glendale that will go out to market. Proceeds from the sale will go to the new Thunderbird School location on Second Street and Polk. 

Glendale Councilmember Ray Malnar, a member of MAG’s EDC, called this “a true win for all parties involved.” Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers, a member of the MAG Regional Council, thanked President Munsil and the ACU leadership team “for your vision and commitment to continuing quality education on the historical campus in Glendale.”