Adding to the academic landscape of Goodyear, Arizona, Avila University, hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, is setting up shop with a new location—all geared up to offer graduate degrees in business and technology management. Known as Avila University Arizona (AUA), this campus is slated to start welcoming students in August 2025 and sits just a smooth 20-minute drive from downtown Phoenix, as per the university's announcement. Avila's reputation for inclusivity and rigorous academics is now projected to imprint itself into the heart of one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., a land teeming with both suburban serenity and urban prospects.
In a warm welcome, Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo embraced Avila's arrival. "Avila University will have a positive impact on our residents and businesses, bringing more educational opportunities and economic prosperity to the community," Pizzillo stated, according to the City of Goodyear. His words reflect the anticipation of Avila's transformative potential in Goodyear's new downtown, fostering high-quality education that goes beyond academic achievement.
Moving past just an educational outpost, AUA represents a link in Avila's long-standing chain of values—those of service, development of the whole person, and diversity, with its roots entrenched in the spirit of the founding Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. The Arizona location, sanctioned by the Higher Learning Commission and the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, extends Avila’s mission of "Education Without Limits" to the local and global students alike. Jim Burkee, Ph.D., president of Avila University, reflected on the expansion with evident pride. "Offering these experiences to international students is another way we honor the legacy of our founding sisters focused on diversity and its expression, serving the dear neighbor without distinction, and excellence in teaching and learning," Burkee told the Goodyear official website.
AUA sets off by rolling out master's programs in fields that stand at the forefront of market demand, including Project Management, Healthcare Administration, and various concentrations within Technology Management like Artificial Intelligence, Business Analytics, and Data Science. Through these specially curated educational frameworks, Avila aspires to mold career-ready professionals who can navigate the shifting tides of the industry. With Avila’s proven track record of not just expanding their curriculum but also nurturing their largest-ever incoming class in 2023, the embrace of Goodyear's aura seems but a natural stride. More than just a university, Avila stakes its claim as a beacon, guiding students from over 26 countries towards empowerment and a footprint on the global stage, a statement solidified by the breadth and depth of more than 60 majors it offers.
Further details on these inaugural programs and information about Avila's educational vision can be sought on the AUA program pages, lighting paths for tomorrow's leaders today. As the tendrils of education spread, reinventing horizons, Goodyear not only anticipates a new chapter in its narrative but also the rewriting of destinies that Avila University Arizona promises to ink.
