Matt Wallace ’06 is the kind of person who takes the spotlight off himself, always shining it on others. He lives his life with humility and Christ-centered service at the core. As the son of former Azusa Pacific University President Jon Wallace, working at APU might have seemed like the obvious route for him to take, however, it was truly his calling after making a series of decisions while placing his trust in God that led Wallace back to his alma mater.
Wallace grew up in Glendora, Calif. He happily remembers many afternoons spent playing hide and seek on Cougar Walk with his two siblings while their dad was at work, watching them from his office in UTCC. Wallace fell in love with APU’s campus and the overall feeling that goodness is cultivated here.
During his father’s early years as APU’s president in 2002, Wallace started his freshman year studying business. “Making friends was hard for me at first, but once I got plugged into a discipleship group I made several lifelong friends,” he said. His fondest memories are of hanging out with them and having deep conversations late into the night.
“I learned as much outside the classroom as inside,” Wallace said. “My time here challenged me, and it was a neat experience to see how God used APU to show me my calling and who He created me to be.”
Wallace met his wife at APU, who he dated throughout almost all four years of college. They broke up when many of their peers were getting engaged, and Wallace didn’t feel ready for marriage yet. Three years later Wallace reached out, professing his love. “She made me work hard to get back together, but thankfully we dated again and got married at 27-years-old,” he said. “God is so redemptive, and there is no right or wrong timeline when it comes to marriage. He has a path for each of us in His own timing.”
When a carpentry position opened at APU 16 years ago, Wallace felt called to follow in many of his family members’ footsteps. In addition to his father’s work at APU, many other relatives either attended or worked at APU at some point, inspiring Wallace to pursue his career at the place that shaped him.
“In Facilities Management, what felt like a mom and pop summer camp quickly grew into a premier service entity on campus,” he said. As the manager of maintenance services, Wallace fulfills his calling by creating an environment for APU students to thrive in. His work includes managing infrastructure, water and sewer lines, electrical functions, and many other building related entities that many community members take for granted.
Our team loves the mission and purpose of APU. We’re here because we love seeing students come to know the Lord and deepen their faith,” he said. “We might not be directly making disciples and scholars in the same way faculty do, but we make sure the classrooms are comfortable and buildings are functional for those things to happen.
Wallace strongly believes in relying on God and one another to create the best experience possible for students. “The older I get, the more I realize how little I know, and how dependent I am on the Lord everyday,” he said. Last summer, the Facilities team asked if any staff members could help restore more than 100 housing units for students living on campus for the season. “It’s amazing to see the community come together to serve students in that way. Many staff members from different departments helped clean for hours simply because of how much they care.”
Working with student employees in facilities is another enriching aspect of Wallace’s job. “I love that APU students are so full of energy, courage, and a willingness to try new things,” he said. Wallace especially appreciates when students reach out years after graduating to share stories of how they fixed something using a skill they learned through working in Facilities.
When he’s not at APU, Wallace can often be found with his three kids: Maddie (age 10), Lincoln (age 7), and Raegan (age 5). “God uses every stage of life to sanctify you,” he said, “and you feel like you’re all grown up when you graduate college, but He keeps developing you in every season.” Fatherhood has been the most fruitful time for Wallace. He and his kids play soccer, go on bike rides, and walk around downtown Glendora. Whenever Wallace is building Chevy trucks in the back of his house with friends and family, his kids love to join in the fun.
Reflecting on his journey of being a student at APU and returning to work here, Wallace is grateful for the ways God had a plan and purpose without Wallace even knowing it during years of uncertainty. “As an undergraduate I often thought, ‘What am I doing? Where is God leading me?’” Looking back, Wallace is grateful for all of his work experience, because it was formative for discovering his calling. “I want to encourage readers to do whatever God is calling you to, even if it doesn’t seem to make sense. God will use every experience for our good and His glory.”
Wallace sometimes feels like he just graduated from APU. “Then I look in the mirror and realize that’s not true,” he said. Each year has provided him with adventure and closeness to God that is irreplaceable. As he continues embarking on this journey at APU, Wallace is grateful for the people God has placed alongside him to reveal His goodness.