Many professionals spend their career climbing the corporate ladder. They earn multiple degrees in order to make an impact in their field of study. They build rigorous programs, and make connections with fellow academics. Some earn grants and become renowned for their scholarly contributions. Doing so can be a beautiful way to live one’s life, truly making a difference in the world. Rachel Castaneda, PhD, has done all those things and more, yet you wouldn’t know when meeting her for the first time. You wouldn’t know those things if you sat next to her in church on a Sunday or joined in her Young Life ministry. She makes her passion for helping others known, but she won’t tell you she currently has 10 grants for various areas of research and training in community health developments unless you ask her about it. Castaneda doesn’t just talk about service, she embeds it in every one of her actions as a psychology professor at Azusa Pacific University.
Originally from El Monte, Calif., Castaneda first developed an interest in psychology when witnessing her parents’ health struggles. Her childhood was marked by many difficult seasons as her mother and father wrestled with challenges from their own upbringing. “I grew up in a very devout home. My parents were Catholic, so church was always a large part of our weekly routine,” she said.
Castaneda started personalizing and deepening her faith while studying psychology at UCLA as an undergraduate. Her best friend introduced Castaneda to a women’s bible study. “I was embarrassed because I had never had my own Bible before, but she gave me one that I still have,” she said. Castaneda pulled the beautiful, worn book from her purse. Flipping through it, almost every page is annotated.
As Castaneda’s faith grew, her ambition to serve those greatly affected by community health issues increased as well. She went on to earn a Masters in Public Health at UCLA in Community Health Sciences. Later she completed a PhD in Community Health Sciences in Public Health at UCLA. Castaneda has always continued learning for the sake of fulfilling God’s calling for her vocation. “It’s easy to get discouraged knowing I can’t solve addiction in the whole world, but Jesus describes His kingdom as a mustard seed,” she said. “God is at work in all things, so if we’re obedient, our actions will permeate.”
Before coming to APU, Castaneda was an associate research psychologist at UCLA. She had just earned a multi-million dollar grant when some life changes brought her to APU, which were reinforced by prayer.
God had a different story for my career’s direction than I’d envisioned. He put me exactly where I needed to be.
In 2010-11, Castaneda began her academic career at APU. Castaneda was thrilled when discovering how many ways she can incorporate Christ into psychology and subject areas surrounding community health. One example she gave of this is from John 5. “Jesus shows compassion to the man who was sick for many years. Faith integration in psychology is teaching students to care and love like Jesus did.” Castaneda can’t imagine teaching any other way.
Castaneda has federal and local level grants and contracts to implement professional development training to those entering the workforce in community and behavioral health. She has also worked with county partners to create curricula for addressing youth substance use early intervention.
Being part of the mission to keep God First in all things encapsulates what Castaneda loves about APU’s environment. “To be in a community that recognizes how vitally we need to partner with the Holy Spirit is a blessing,” she said.
Looking back at her life’s journey, Castaneda can’t help but shed a few tears in amazement of how powerfully God has been orchestrating every chapter in her life. Even in the darkest times, God’s light shone, casting peace in her heart to share with others. As a professor, she not only teaches students to practically apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom, but to do everything out of the same all-encompassing love God shares with each of us.