Park University’s Gilbert, Ariz., campus is beginning to take shape. Classes and athletic programs are nearing completion for fall 2019.

Enrollment is expected to be near 300 students for the fall semester, with a mix of non-traditional and traditional students.

Donna Ehrlich, Ph.D., academic director for the Gilbert campus, wrote that they plan to offer a blend of eight-week accelerated courses as well as traditional 16-week courses. For students at Gilbert, 60 percent of classes their classes will be taught face-to-face, and the remaining 40 percent will be offered online.

With 10 undergraduate degrees offered, Gilbert still has a diverse range of courses, including business administration and communication studies.

Graduate degrees are also offered in education studies and business administration.

Gilbert is also planning to hire full-time math and English professors, but most of the faculty will be part-time or adjuncts as the campus expands.

Ehrlich wrote, “We are in the process of hiring a full-time English and math instructor; we anticipate additional full-time faculty hires as numbers grow along with local adjuncts with work experience in the area to complete the course offerings.”

While the academics begin to take shape, Gilbert is adding student life activities to shape the student experience. They’re trying to emulate the Parkville campus in some ways.  Ehrlich wrote that they are encouraged by the idea of a student senate to lead on-campus activities and branching out to students interested in creating clubs.

The Gilbert campus won’t have residence halls available to students for the fall semester. Student housing is a possible future development.

In addition to clubs and student organizations, Gilbert will have 11 athletic programs. Their mascot is the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are working toward NAIA membership by 2020.

Men’s sports will include baseball, basketball, golf, soccer and volleyball. Women athletes will be competing in softball, soccer, golf, basketball, volleyball and beach volleyball.

Park’s new Gilbert campus reflects the progress and developments in the local area. Park University President Greg Gunderson, Ph.D., said at the official opening of the Gilbert campus that it is becoming a “smart city.”

Ehrlich said they are working on new drone programs and have met with Waymo, a self-driving development company, about working with them as they expand Gilbert with autonomous vehicles.

For more information, visit park.edu and search Gilbert campus.