APU Articles

APU Professor Sings on Golden Globe-Winning and Oscar-Nominated Film

February 25, 2022

Star Wars, Star Trek, I Am Legend, X-Men, Men In Black, Jurassic World—just a few of the many major motion picture scores that Azusa Pacific University professor Michael Geiger, MFA, adjunct professor, School of Music, associate director, Men's Chorale, has performed on throughout his 40-year musical career. Recently, Geiger’s vocals were featured in the film and soundtrack of the latest cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve. Geiger worked on a team under the direction of award-winning composer and arranger Hans Zimmer, who received a Golden Globe award and Oscar nomination for his work on the project.

APU Professor Sings on Golden Globe-Winning and Oscar-Nominated Film

Building Bridges Between Faith and Science

February 18, 2022

As a community of disciples and scholars who desire a holistic and transformational education experience, Azusa Pacific University works to build bridges between faith and science. APU’s Center for Research in Science (CRIS) offers STEM students top-tier resources and support, research and internship opportunities, and space to dialogue on the relationship between faith and reason. With the objective of equipping students for scientific endeavors of all kinds, CRIS director Louise K. Huang, PhD, assistant dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, noted, “As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to pursue excellence in our craft, acknowledging and honoring God in what we do.”

Building Bridges Between Faith and Science

Advancing Renewal

February 17, 2022

In October 2021, Azusa Pacific University published its inaugural Renewal Annual Report, which details the progress of the university’s new seven-year strategic plan. As designed and implemented, Renewal: Strengthening Our Capacity for Cultivating Christ-Centered Scholars and Leaders will advance APU as a university of impactful Christian scholars and leaders characterized by best practices of the highest quality. The strategic plan, which launched in September 2020, provides a blueprint for a university-wide commitment to effectively promote and sustain Christ-centered academic excellence for highly diverse constituencies at all degree levels. The annual report features first-year successes in meeting strategic recommendations, references action items and timelines, and highlights a number of significant milestones and achievements related to these five Grand Initiatives:

Leading K-12 School Communities During Times of Uncertainty

February 14, 2022

Being a leader in K-12 school communities means making decisions and guiding others when things are uncertain—even in the face of immense challenges.

Leading K-12 School Communities During Times of Uncertainty

The Importance of Professor and Student Connection

February 11, 2022

The Gift of Christian Community: APU’s Return to Campus

February 10, 2022

Duffle bags and dorm rooms, sporting events and bonfires, crisp new books and old favorite study nooks—college life conjures up different expectations for everyone. But no one expected the COVID-19 college experience. Like countless campuses across the country, Azusa Pacific University went from a bustling hub of activity to nearly empty overnight. Now, a year and a half later, the APU community is back on campus. Familiar faces and places restore a sense of comfort, but something has definitely changed, fueled by meaningful lessons learned from being apart.

The Gift of Christian Community: APU’s Return to Campus

Earn a Degree While Working Full Time: 5 Strategies for Success

February 09, 2022

It can be easy to imagine earning your bachelor’s or master’s degree as a “traditional” student—an 18-year-old who’s starting college full time a few months after graduating high school, or a recent college graduate transitioning directly into a master’s program––but these days, student demographics are changing.

Earn a Degree While Working Full Time: 5 Strategies for Success

Equipping Difference Makers in Engineering and Computer Science

February 04, 2022

In high-demand industries like engineering and computer science, Azusa Pacific University is equipping new professionals with the skills needed to be difference makers in these innovative fields. APU’s Department of Engineering and Computer Science offers a practically-informed curriculum and close interaction with accomplished industry professionals, preparing students for successful careers. “Our first priority is our students’ success,” said James Hsi-Jen Yeh, PhD, interim chair and associate professor, Department of Engineering and Computer Science.

Equipping Difference Makers in Engineering and Computer Science

APU Grad Shows Resilience with Medal Win in Tokyo Paralympics

February 03, 2022

Trenten Merrill ’15 went to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games on a mission. He was determined to succeed in the long jump and represent the U.S. on the podium after falling just short in his Paralympic debut at the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro. Although his jump in Rio was a personal best and it broke the American record, it placed him fourth and just off the podium.

APU Grad Shows Resilience with Medal Win in Tokyo Paralympics

A Crescendo of Opportunity

January 28, 2022

Nothing competes with the satisfying feeling of unwrapping the perfect Christmas present or opening a much-anticipated school acceptance letter. Azusa Pacific University alumnus Erick Quintanilla ’11, MM ’13, had that same magical feeling the first time he opened a saxophone case in his 7th-grade band class. From the moment Quintanilla laid eyes on the shiny instrument, his world opened to new possibilities. For the first time, he experienced the power of music to inspire young minds. Little did he know, he would use his gifts and talents years later to lead his own school band program, enabling the next generation of young musicians to experience that same feeling.