GCU Colangelo College of Business’ Tim Kelley to collaborate on projects recommended by U.S. embassies, Fulbright Commissions around the world
Tim Kelley’s entrepreneurial work around the world has earned him a major appointment.
Kelley, Grand Canyon University‘s Colangelo College of Business Entrepreneurship Chair, was named to the Fulbright Specialist Program, operated by the U.S. State Department. The program sends hundreds of American scholars and professionals abroad annually to share their knowledge and bolster institutions overseas while tackling common challenges that benefit U.S. communities and the world.
It is a milestone accomplishment for Kelley, founder and chairman of GCU-based angel investment group Canyon Angels. He also was named the 2025-26 GCU Club Advisor of the Year for his work with the IDEA Club, which helps students turn business ideas into reality.
Kelley has more than 35 years of experience as an entrepreneur in construction, education, finance, real estate and software in Mexico, South America and Africa.
Fulbright specialists consult on two- to six-week collaborative projects shaped and requested by foreign receiving institutions in more than 150 countries. These projects are recommended by U.S. embassies and Fulbright Commissions around the world. The hope is that U.S. knowledge, skills and perspective are part of important academic, professional and/or cultural sectors.
Specialists may guide a seminar or workshop continuously or return a few weeks later for a follow-up, depending on whether they are training an instructor or interacting directly with a company.
Kelley’s three-year tenure on the Fulbright Specialist roster started Friday.
“Tim Kelley’s selection as a Fulbright Specialist is a tremendous honor and a well-deserved recognition of his expertise, leadership and global perspective,” said John Kaites, dean of the business college. “We are proud to have someone of Tim’s stature representing GCU around the world. Tim is one of many examples of the outstanding faculty we have at Grand Canyon University.”
Kelley has managed more than $200 million in projects in Mexico and more than 2 million square feet of office, commercial and residential space throughout Latin America. He was contracted by the U.S. Agency for International Development to advise the Central Bank of Angola on regulatory structures for residential real estate finance in 2010-11.
For the past four years, he has taught in Colombia as part of the , founded by Dr. John Dobson. The program provides entrepreneurship education to marginalized communities.
Kelley and professors from Harvard University, the University of California at San Diego and Clark University conducted one- to two-day workshops in cities throughout Colombia. Enrollment in those classes grew from 100 in the first year to more than 170 in 2025.
Dobson, a Fulbright Specialist, recommended Kelley.
Kelley went through the application process, in which those approved must display the knowledge, skills and ability to make significant contributions to overseas projects before they are paired with projects designed by foreign institutions.
The program allows flexibility for U.S. specialists to work with institutions and handle real-world issues in fields of strategic interest. These gatherings frequently lead to long-standing relationships, with specialists continuing their associations after their initial meetings. The result is sustained partnerships and improved shared goals.
Kelley has consulted on projects through the United States Agency for International Development. Since USAID ceased independent operations, those types of projects have been rolled into the State Department.
“I think this is part of that effort to change how we interact with emerging economies and other countries around the world,” Kelley said.
The Fulbright Special Program posts more than 40 projects in countries spanning from Colombia to Kosovo to Egypt to Vietnam.
“I’d like to think it’s part of this transition in foreign policy that actually promotes free enterprise entrepreneurship specifically,” Kelley said.
