Office of Residence Life

Residence Life’s mission is to create spaces and learning opportunities for residential students to experience life together. Our team strives to ensure that students are provided with engaging campus housing options, ongoing logistical assistance, and challenge and support throughout their residential experience at APU.

The Residence Life team holds the following “Life Together” values as core to the residential experience:

• CARE: Develop living and learning environments that promote student well being; and encourage students to be respectful, cooperative, supportive, and inclusive of one another.
• CHALLENGE: Create opportunities that encourage students to explore their values and beliefs, leadership abilities, and personal faith development.

• CONNECTION: Provide spaces for residential students to build relationships and partnerships with each other while living and learning together in community.

The Office of Residence Life is located in Engstrom Hall on East Campus. 

Living in residence at Azusa Pacific University carries with it distinct privileges and responsibilities. Students who reside in campus housing benefit from living in a community with peers, and as a result, take responsibility for caring for one another in a cooperative and communicative fashion. Through enriching experiences and opportunities, students make significant connections, and learn to navigate healthy interpersonal relationships.

Research shows that students living in college residence halls:

• Are more involved in areas events.
• Interact more frequently with faculty and peers.
• Are more likely to graduate.
• Are more satisfied with their college experience.
• Show greater developmental gains.
• Demonstrate greater increases in aesthetic, cultural, and intellectual values.

Residence Life activities are designed to address the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, and vocational needs of residents while supporting their academic experience at APU. For this reason, full-time, new students are expected to live in an APU residence unless they request an exemption. Students who in the residence halls are required to choose from a variety of dining plans.

Support on Campus

• Different types of living environments are available for students, including traditional residence halls and self-contained apartments. Several on-campus living communities are accessible to students with disabilities.
• The Residence Halls and Shire are managed by a combination of a Residence Director (RD) and an Assistant Residence Director (ARD). These professionals serve as liaisons between residents and the university community. RDs and ARDs are trained to assist students in making choices that support their success in their college experiences.
• University Village is supported  by a combination of an Area Directors (AD) and Graduate Resident Coordinators (GRCs). Under the Supervision of the AD,  each GRC is trained to support the residents in their span of care.
• Each sub community in residence halls and apartments is supported by a Residence Advisor (RA) who is a student leaders who serves as a peer counselor and resource to their residents. RAs also assist in orienting students to the living areas and campus, and help plan and promote events and programs that promote a sense of community.
• Campus partners outside of Residence Life include the University Counseling Center, the Student Health Center, Campus Safety, Facilities Management, and APU Cares.