APU Articles
Is It Time to Transfer Colleges? Here's How to Decide
February 28, 2023
For many college students, transferring between schools is part of the academic experience. In fact, a National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report found that 2 million students transferred in the 2021-22 academic year. So if you’re considering transferring, you’re not alone.
Faculty Friday: Shelly-Ann Dewsbury, MSW, Values Growth In and Out of the Classroom
February 24, 2023
When professor Shelly-Ann Dewsbury, MSW applied to teach at Azusa Pacific University, she took the job through a leap of faith, leaving the familiarity of her residence in Boston. “When I took the job at APU, I was literally moving to California sight unseen,” she said.
How Employer Tuition Assistance Helps Professionals Return to School
February 22, 2023
If you’re a working professional, you may recognize that returning to school to complete your bachelor’s degree or pursue a graduate degree could help you advance and succeed in your field. Despite the potential gain it can bring, you also have to consider the cost.
Beatrice Buob ’03: Sharing the Gospel Through
February 21, 2023
Beatrice Buob ’03 had almost given up on her dream of pursuing a career in music when she learned of Azusa Pacific University. Originally from St. Gallen, Switzerland, Buob had been told by Swiss music schools that she was too old for their programs. Fortunately, her brother lived in San Diego. Buob searched for Christian universities in Southern California that didn’t have age limitations. After being accepted at APU, she moved more than 6,000 miles to pursue her dream. Although she originally planned on only taking a few classes, Buob enjoyed the program so much that she went on to earn her Master’s of Music in Conducting.
Career Preparation: Networking Skills for Success
February 20, 2023
Nikki High ’05 Opens First Pasadena Bookstore to Highlight Minority Authors
February 16, 2023
In 2022, Nikki High ’05 took a leap toward the unimaginable: she left her successful corporate job to pursue her life-long dream of opening a bookstore. Not just any bookstore, but —a place of gathering and community that prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and people of color authors.
Graduate Degree, Certificate, or Both: How to Choose the Best Track for You
February 15, 2023
You’ve finished your bachelor’s degree and might be thinking, “What’s next?” If specialization in a field or a high-level job is your goal, most likely the answer is to continue your education. However, with many academic options to pursue post-graduation, it can be hard to decide which graduate degree or certificate best supports the career you want.
Faithfulness to Mission: Working Together for Greater Kingdom Impact
February 13, 2023
On January 26, 2022, I sat with the APU Board of Trustees for what turned out to be my final interview in the presidential search process. It was more than a 12-hour day, and we all came prepared with our final round of questions. By midafternoon, having talked through the many complexities of leading a faith-based organization with hundreds of employees and thousands of students, we dove into a topic near and dear to my heart—faithfulness to mission. I wanted to probe core aspects of APU’s institutional identity and APU’s resolve to stand its ground amidst the tumult facing all of Christian higher education.
From Competitor to Leader: Corrie Loeffler ’04 Named Executive Director of Scripps National Spelling Bee
February 08, 2023
Scherenschnitte, knaidel, euonym—silent anticipation stretches through the auditorium as spelling bee contestants ascend to the podium, tackling words unheard of to the average audience member. Then seven-year-old Corrie Loeffler ’04 watches with wide eyes as her older brother competes in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She becomes determined to attend the national competition again—this time on her own merit.
APU Study Away Opportunities: Natasha Zimmerman’s Oxford Experience
February 07, 2023
One of the most exciting parts about college is experiencing living in a new place. Students at Azusa Pacific University have the opportunity to study away at a variety of different locations for a few weeks (GO Terms) or a full semester. These study away opportunities include options in Ecuador, Ireland, Kenya, Israel, Jordan, Washington D.C., England, and other countries in Europe. Perhaps the most unique opportunity to study away is the Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO) semester through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) GlobalEd programs. During this program, APU students study at the University of Oxford, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.
Dylan and Cheri Harris ’98 are Fulfilling their Call with Shelter on the Lake
February 06, 2023
Dylan and Cheri (Hacker) Harris ’98 are spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth, or about as close as you can get to that. In 2011, after years of traveling across Asia and Europe and down the Pan-American Highway, the couple settled with their three kids—Ritter, 15, Amelia, 13, and Tobin, 11—in San Carlos de Bariloche, a lake town at the base of the Andes mountains in southern Argentina. Dylan and Cheri decided that this would be the perfect spot to launch a ministry—one geared toward backpackers.
The Sword Project: Blessing Athletes with Personalized Bibles
February 01, 2023
, Azusa Pacific University’s head softball coach, was on a mission. She walked onto the field with a stack of thick leatherbound books in her arms, knowing that this moment meant more than any win ever would. These were no ordinary books; in fact, they were copies of the bestselling, most read book of all time. Titled the Sword Project, APU’s Athletics Department gives personalized study Bibles to all incoming athletes.
Your First College Finals: 6 Tips for Success
January 27, 2023
In your first semester of college, you quickly learn there are a lot of differences between high school and college. Just when you feel like you’ve figured out what college life is like, another big difference comes along—college finals.
6 Ways Graduate Programs Can Help Your Career
January 25, 2023
Earning a graduate degree can require a significant amount of time, energy, and possibly money. So it’s understandable to question whether the return makes the investment worthwhile. To answer this, it’s important to look at the total value and number of benefits—more than you might think—that can come with a graduate degree.
The Freshmen Honors Experience: Transforming Together
January 17, 2023
On a sweltering Tuesday in August, 12 strangers walked into a small classroom and sat across from each other in a circle. The room was quiet with uncertainty as the students nervously pulled out their copy of The Prince by Niccoló Machiavelli. The group of freshmen in Azusa Pacific University’s Honors College were about to participate in their first colloquy, a student driven discussion of great texts throughout history. As David Weeks, PhD, dean of the Honors College, led the conversation, the freshmen began sharing their thoughts on Machiavelli’s views of leadership. Although they didn’t know it at the time, they were cultivating the seeds that would later sprout into what one student called her “new family for this season of life.”
