Ottawa University-Arizona (OUAZ) celebrated its largest student enrollment levels since opening its West Valley residential campus in fall 2017. The Surprise residential campus welcomed 819 graduate and undergraduate students for the fall 2019 semester, which is a 33-percent increase over the prior year, while the university’s adult campus enrollment in Phoenix grew to 934 students, which marks a 25-percent increase over the prior year. 

“It’s very exciting to see these growth levels, as we seek to fulfill our mission of guiding our students to lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment, and service to God and humanity,” said Chancellor Kevin Eichner. “We have been truly blessed here in Arizona and are grateful for the response to our efforts here. It’s especially rewarding to see the response to our new residential campus in Surprise that is just now entering its third full year of service.” 

OUAZ President Dr. Dennis Tyner indicated that the university’s distinctive program design is one of the major driving forces behind the enrollment growth with FlexTerm scheduling, Personal Growth Days and Spirit Life celebrations.

“FlexTerm scheduling allows students the flexibility to take courses at the Surprise campus over four-, eight- or 16-week terms as the subject matter dictates,” Tyner said. “Our Personal Growth Days and Spirit Life aim at developing the whole person with values and skill-based programs that go beyond the traditional classroom. Our students come through our programs both world- and work-ready, and after graduating from OUAZ are expected to contribute at uncommon levels wherever they are employed.” 

These offerings provide unique incentives to prospective students and are key components in the OUAZ’s continued growth, according to Chief Enrollment Officer Dr. Brian Sandusky.

“It is evident that our special value proposition is resonating with traditional-aged students, their parents, and adult learners,” Sandusky said. “We now have a greater, more diverse student body participating in a wide variety of activities in Surprise, while attracting graduate students from all over the world to our Phoenix campus. The Surprise campus activities include varsity athletics and competitive club sports that have met with great initial success in the NAIA and NCCAA, as well as special programs in the sciences, business and community services areas.”

This record-breaking growth comes at a key moment for Ottawa University in Arizona. More than $50 million in new construction will be completed at the Surprise campus during this fall semester. 

These multi-purpose projects include:

• O’Dell Center for Athletics: A $25 million, 97,000-square-foot sports complex that includes a community recreation center, four-court gymnasium, multiple varsity locker rooms, a varsity athletic performance center, additional classrooms, a state-of-the-art press box and suites, and offices for the OUAZ Athletic Department coaches and staff. 

• Scholars Hall: A $20 million, 76,000-square-foot, four-story residence hall with 83 rooms and 332 beds. The building will include four student lounges, campus security, and student affairs and faculty offices.

• OUAZ Student Union: A $7 million, 27,000-square-foot, two-story building that houses a sleek new dining hall, the OUAZ Fan Shop, student lounge and recreational areas, and the Surprise Community Conference Center to host meetings and conferences. 

OUAZ’s residential campus is located at 15950 N. Civic Center Plaza in Surprise. Its adult professional campus, which opened in 1977, is located at 9414 N. 25th Ave. in Phoenix. Ottawa University has more than 8,000 alumni in Metro Phoenix, and more than 22,000 graduates nationwide. For more information about Ottawa University-Arizona, visit ottawa.edu/ouaz or @OttawaUniversityArizona on Facebook and @ottawa_university_ouaz on Instagram.