The Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award is an annual award presented to GCU faculty members who exhibit extraordinary accomplishments in research or creative scholarship through teaching, discovery, scholarly engagement, and service. Distinguished Faculty Scholars are faculty whose body of scholarship and current level of scholarly activity warrant distinction within the university community.

The Leadership in Research and Scholarly Activity Award is annual award presented to GCU faculty, administrators or staff who demonstrate outstanding leadership, innovation and service in the promotion of research and scholarly activity. Leadership in Research and Scholarly Activity Award winners are individuals whose promotion of scholarship and researcher advances the mission, vision and focus of GCU. The Leadership in Research and Scholarly Activity award was created to promote the leadership abilities of the university through recognizing deserving individuals but also to develop a culture of research and scholarly activity.