For alumna Alissa Matus ’18, APU has laid the foundation for a number of good things in her life. From helping her build a strong community and finding her calling to jump-starting her career and growing her faith, Matus’ time at APU was productive, impactful, and life-giving.
Matus graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry in 2018 and continued her studies at the doctoral level at UC Irvine (’23). After amassing impressive titles in her field and publishing noted, peer-reviewed work over the last few years, Matus is now an adjunct professor at Cypress College, and has recently been offered a full-time tenure-track position at Fullerton College. Her time at APU greatly impacted the trajectory of her career, highlighting the importance of chemistry in the natural and professional worlds and also the importance of connections.
“APU allowed me to experience a warm, inclusive community woven into my studies,” said Matus. “I learned so much more than just chemistry—I learned about myself, faith, and where to look for real support. The professors at APU had excellent pedagogy, which helped lay a strong foundation for me to enter graduate school, and I was so uplifted that I’m just so grateful for the encouragement I received.”
Part of what made APU so endearing to Matus was the small class sizes and the emphasis on getting into community and then maintaining and fostering interpersonal connections inside and outside of the classroom. “As a community college, Cypress is dedicated to ensuring that each and every student is given an equitable and high-value education,” she said. “APU was excellent in showing me the benefits of small class sizes and tightly knit community, and I’m excited to have similar experiences while teaching a very diverse student population.”
In fact, it was through APU that Matus encountered her love of teaching and her love of chemistry. Though always interested in science, she entered APU as a biology major and then a biochemistry major, but neither seemed to answer that call. It wasn’t until she switched to chemistry that everything clicked.
“I realized that chemistry—the learning of it and performing experiments for it—was exactly what I could see myself doing forever,” she said. “I love knowing how the world works at an atomic level; it has given me a deeper appreciation for Creation.”
Matus’ affinity for chemistry has certainly intertwined with her faith: “I have a deep, personal faith that I was able to grow at APU. I have needed to fall back on this faith and rely on strength from God countless times, and knowing that I have this relationship with Him has helped motivate me. I have a divine purpose that keeps me going.”
As Matus grew in her understanding of chemistry, many more opportunities opened up to her.
“When I began graduate school, I had no teaching experience but I had to be a teaching assistant,” she said. “With little training, I was thrown in to guide dozens of undergraduate students through chemistry lab, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences ever. I love teaching, instructing students about how to perform laboratory techniques, and sharing my knowledge. I knew I was meant to be a chemistry educator at that time.” Matus has also volunteered her chemistry knowledge and teaching skills through outreach at local high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, colleges, and healthcare centers: “I perform demonstrations and experiments and show students how chemistry exists everywhere.”
As she enters a new season, Matus hopes to bring the best of her APU experience to her new students.
“My time throughout APU was so fun, and truly the entire time I was a chemistry major I felt encouraged, challenged, and excited to learn,” she said. During her final year at APU, Matus served as the president of the Chemistry Club, which welcomed opportunities for Star Wars movie nights with students, professors, and their families. “It was so fun and lighthearted, and I’ll never forget those moments.”
Finally, Matus has advice for current and future APU students that encompasses the richness of her time there: “Find your communities, and put effort into establishing systems of support. APU is the perfect place to start because professors genuinely want to see you succeed.”