Early Saturday morning, Nov. 1, more than 180 Grand Canyon University students traded their backpacks for paint brushes and work gloves as part of the school’s 20th semiannual Day of Service with Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona .

Their mission: to revitalize nine neighborhood homes through exterior paint and landscaping improvements in what organizers hope is a small but powerful contribution to the long-term renewal of the 85017 ZIP code surrounding GCU’s campus.

The event marks another milestone in a university-community partnership that has become one of the largest neighborhood revitalization projects of its kind in the nation.

“Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity reflects GCU’s commitment to integrating service into education through our Five-Point Plan, an initiativ

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