News Archive
Families Aren't Choosing a Major for Their Kids, but How Can They Help?
October 30, 2017
At most colleges, students are choosing a major by the end of their sophomore year. This gives them four semesters to explore different interests. This time can be a gift to check out different options, but the time to choose a major might arrive sooner than expected. Students may be overwhelmed at the thought of picking just one major they think might dictate the rest of their lives. As a parent, the trick is to encourage your child to explore and think about him or herself in a new way, while ultimately supporting the major chosen.
500 Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation
October 30, 2017
“Out of the love of truth and the desire to elucidate it,” Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of All Saints’ Church on October 31, 1517, in Wittenberg, Germany—the day historians consider the start of the Protestant Reformation. This year commemorates the 500anniversary of that historic event and its remarkable impact. Every Protestant church and denomination owes its existence to the heroics of Luther, who advocated the reform of all churches based upon the primacy of biblical authority.
Adjusting to College Life Can Be Easier Than You Expect
October 26, 2017
Starting college is a major life transition. It’s exciting and scary all at once. There are new freedoms to explore, friends to meet, classes to take, and seemingly endless amounts of fun to be had. But it can also be challenging. Adjusting to college life takes time and actual effort as you find your way.
College Application Deadline: Why You Should Consider Applying Early
October 24, 2017
Resilient Hope
October 23, 2017
Last December, another round of missiles and bombs struck the war-torn city of Aleppo, Syria. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians had already lost their lives to nationwide civil war, and citizens waited in terror each time another airstrike approached. For years, they struggled with no outside relief. Finally, however, the international community agreed to a mass evacuation. On December 15, more than 100,000 Syrians left their homes, belongings, and livelihoods, like the 11 million Syrians displaced from their homes over the past six years—more than half the nation’s population.
Advice for Parents and Guardians of College Students: 6 Pieces of First-Year Wisdom
October 23, 2017
You did it! You sweated and toiled and made it through many crazy years of raising someone into a young adult who’s now heading off to college. And now it’s time to let him or her go. While your recent high school graduate is dreaming of university life, you might be dreading the thought of being apart after all these years.
5 Ways to Make the FAFSA Application Process Less Stressful
October 17, 2017
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. Any eligible student can apply—regardless of age, income, or nationality. It can also seem daunting for first-time applicants especially. But while the process might seem overwhelming at first, these five tips will help you and your student get the most out of the FAFSA application.
Faith, Family, and FCA
October 16, 2017
Life as a student-athlete involves a unique set of challenges, and multiple studies have shown that more than half of all athletes experience heavy stress related to their sport in the form of pressure to win, extreme anxiety, and fear of failure. These add to the stressors common to all students: time management, relationships, finances, and academic performance. Today, because the athlete part of the student-athlete equation often carries a disproportionate amount of weight, it can be easy for student-athletes to lose sight of who they are and why they do what they do, resulting in burnout.
Juice Bar Benefits Body and Soul
October 13, 2017
At the intersection of Christ, community, scholarship, and service, exists a space where social justice and business join together. Azusa Pacific University alumna Jessica Ng ’10, is the founder of Body Juice, a business meant to promote a healthy lifestyle while also supporting efforts to end human trafficking. Set to open in the city of Azusa in early 2018, Ng’s social venture will draw upon her education and passion for helping the oppressed.
In the News: NFL Films Features Terrell Watson '15
October 05, 2017
Linking Interests: The Value of Adding an Academic Minor
October 02, 2017
As she stepped off the graduation stage, Sara (Hickenbottom ’14) Tillema had her career goals in place: earning a Master of Divinity at Princeton Seminary and working in a full-time ministry position. But while her philosophy major gave her a solid foundation for pursuing this dream, her minors in religion and humanities proved the tipping point in discovering her calling and preparing her for a career in ministry. These two areas of study gave specific purpose and application to her philosophy classes, and after graduating from Princeton, Tillema took on the role of campus minister at the University of California, Davis.
One Couple’s Journey Inspires Thousands
September 29, 2017
Phil and Alex Congelliere ’10 stood before a packed room of investors, donors, and business leaders on the Azusa Pacific University campus, securing support for their nonprofit startup Love Multiplies, which aims to provide educational resources and encouragement for those navigating infertility and/or adoption. This presentation marked the culmination of Zuventurez INCUBATE, an 18-week program offered by the Office of Innovation designed to help Azusa Pacific students and alumni achieve success. The program helped the Congellieres take the next step in sharing their story and growing their ministry.
California Workforce: A Golden Opportunity
September 25, 2017
California embodies a microcosm of the nation’s job market with employment options in virtually every field. However, while the Public Policy Institute of California projects a steadily increasing demand for workers with a college education through 2030, it also estimates that the state will “fall about 1.1 million college graduates short of economic demand”—a situation known as the workforce skills gap. Azusa Pacific seeks to bridge that gap by producing competitive, skilled graduates prepared to thrive in many of the state’s fastest-growing occupations.
Biotech Leader Partners with APU
September 21, 2017
Industry and the academy need one another. Although independently self-sustaining, these entities create a formidable force when their goals align. Strategic partnerships between universities and the private sector significantly advance skill development, innovation, and entrepreneurship, but the most successful alliances come from those who share a common vision—like Azusa Pacific and Grifols Biologicals Inc.
25 Years of Honors
September 20, 2017
Academic Faith Integration: An APU Distinctive
September 18, 2017
Faith integration sounds like fitting rhetoric for a Christian university, and a worthy pursuit, but what does it mean? Is it prayer in class? Is it a chapel requirement? How do faculty members in disciplines with less-obvious ties to theology, such as modern language, finance, and athletic training, appropriately incorporate the viewpoints of the Christian faith into their curricula? And why does it matter?
Healing Mind, Body, and Soul
September 05, 2017
With professors and students recognized for their advanced research and commitment to selfless service, Azusa Pacific University’s School of Nursing creates the finest nurses in the nation.In its 42nd year, the program provides a transformative education for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students, called to enter this helping profession.
Finding Success in the Mad World of Music
August 25, 2017
“We began working on our musical, Mad World, back in 2010,” said Steven Schmidt, ’17, commercial music major. Schmidt and close friend, Christian Guerrero, collaborated to develop a musical during their senior year of high school. The idea for Mad World came to them on a whim, sparked by Guerrero’s discovery of a few interesting articles about Charles Dodgson, known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll, author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. He proposed the idea to Schmidt. “After discovering the mystery, intrigue, and genius of Dodgson’s life, Christian called me and we agreed there was a story waiting to be told.” This phone call proved catalytic for both as they embarked on a journey to create a unique theatrical production that is now gaining acclaim.
Working the Soil: How Bruce Baloian Answered God’s Call
July 31, 2017
Bruce Baloian, Ph.D., professor emeritus in the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies, delivered his final chapel address to the Azusa Pacific community at the end of the 2016-17 school year. His lecture, signaling the culmination of more than three decades of service at APU, provided insight into Jesus’ call for ministry to the poor and disenfranchised.
The Case for College: Rediscovering the Purpose of Higher Education
July 31, 2017
College—and the reasons to attend—have changed. Decades ago, students pursued higher education to explore new schools of thought and discover their vocation—not their job, their vocation. These young scholars understood the intrinsic difference between the two and sought their calling, as they peeked behind the curtain of the arts, sampled the sciences, dabbled in business. But those days are gone. The function and main goal of higher education shifted drastically in the 1960s, and today many colleges exist solely to churn out job-ready graduates programmed to perform and earn.
God’s Design in Bacteria
July 03, 2017
Unfortunately, bacteria have gained a negative reputation since Louis Pasteur proposed the Germ Theory of Disease. Most now think of bacteria as disease-causing superbugs that must be avoided at all costs. But that is true in only a small number of cases. Sometimes, normal beneficial bacteria, like the E. coli we have in our intestines that make vitamins, can change when they encounter DNA from other bacteria. For example, the E. coli O157:H7 strain of bacteria that makes the evening news from time to time acquired a toxin gene from another bacterium, making it a potential threat. When normal, beneficial bacteria find themselves in the wrong context, they can make us sick. Regular, nonharmful E. coli, if introduced to the urogenital system, can cause bladder infections, even though it does not cause infections in the intestines.
Professor Black Goes to Hollywood
June 28, 2017
“Lights, camera, action!” An unexpected phone call from a major motion picture studio led an APU theology professor to accept an invitation that took him out of the classroom and onto a Hollywood set. Entertainment company Lionsgate interviewed Gary Black Jr., Ph.D. associate professor in the Honors College, about the Christian themes in The Shack, their film adaptation of the bestselling novel, for a special feature that appears on the recently released DVD.
Justice For All
June 26, 2017
Scrutiny of the U.S. criminal justice system has never been more intense. Every news outlet, television network, internet feed, and social media site reveals not only information and commentary, but also audio and visual accounts of traffic stops, arrests, and court proceedings. With cameras on every cell phone and millennials’ natural inclination to share their experiences publicly, we are now privy to more incidents of police contact with the community than ever before. This changes everything about criminal justice, professionals in the field, crime victims, and outcomes of the justice system.
Donovan Young '18
June 19, 2017
APU Hosts Summer Institute on Theology and Disability
June 15, 2017
“A vision of a place where everyone is welcome, everyone believes, and everyone belongs.” These words capture the vision of Erik Carter, Ph.D., vice chair of the Collaborative on Faith and Disabilities and professor of special education at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, for the 2017 Summer Institute on Theology and Disability. The weeklong multi-faith conference hosted by Azusa Pacific Seminary, June 5-8, included scholars, clergy, seminarians, and laity. The Institute included presentations, panels, discussion groups, morning and evening meditations, and workshops.
New Master’s Program Prepares Leaders in Biotechnology
June 12, 2017
Preparing competent, competitive, and ethical leaders, Azusa Pacific’s new Master of Science in Biotechnology equips graduates to make significant contributions to and profoundly influence this emerging science field. Set to launch in fall 2017 with a cohort of 24, the advanced degree distinguishes itself from counterparts at other institutions by approaching the discipline from a distinctly Christian worldview and instilling in students the ability to synthesize human need, potential, and responsibility.
In the News: APU Alumna Runs Floating Sea Camp
June 09, 2017
APU Hosts Faith-based SBIRT Training
May 22, 2017
APU hosted the first Faith and Spirituality Integrated SBIRT Network Training Summit at the beginning of the academic year. Funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, APU led the efforts in establishing this network—a partnership with five faith-based universities and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health—which provides information and support to allied health professionals as they care for their clients and patients through SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment), a public health approach to treating those at risk for substance use disorders.
APU’s Armenian Student Association Unveils Memorial
May 16, 2017
Azusa Pacific University's Armenian Student Association (ASA) unveiled a khachkar, or cross stone memorial, during a dedication ceremony on April 22, attended by students, their families, and community members to commemorate the lives lost in the Armenian Genocide. During and following World War I, 1.5 million Armenians living within the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey lost their lives. Paying tribute and honoring their memory, the khachkar stands on East Campus in front of Multimedia Buildings 1 and 2. April 24 marked the 102 anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Disability Awareness Week Sparks Interest and Action
May 15, 2017
The university hosted its second annual Disability Awareness Week, founded on the principles of Imago Dei (the image of God) and Azusa Pacific’s biblical perspective on diversity, February 27- March 4, 2017. Various campus events helped the APU community explore how and why society tends to marginalize those with disabilities, how to recognize it, and how to prevent it. Cosponsored by several departments, the weeklong event educated nondisabled people and gave a voice to those with disabilities (more than 5 percent of APU’s student population), including a platform from which to share their concerns.
APU Graduate Student Awarded $114,000 Science Grant
May 15, 2017
Azusa Pacific University graduate student Leo Jimenez Chavez was awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRF). The grant will fully fund his studies for the next three years. Students selected for the NSF GRF benefit from an annual stipend of $34,000 for three years, a $12,000 allowance for tuition and fees, opportunities for international research and professional development, and the freedom to conduct their own research at any accredited U.S. institution. Previous recipients of the fellowship include former U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Google founder Sergey Brin, Freakonomics co-author Steven Levitt, and numerous Nobel Prize winners.
Gabriel Martin Receives 2017 Gerald Wilson Award
May 10, 2017
Alumni Spotlight: Megan Webb ('05)
May 09, 2017
Leadership by Association
May 01, 2017
When Max Walden ’16 stepped across the stage to receive his diploma last May, he joined a legacy of leaders serving throughout the nation in multiple fields with one unique common trait—they all developed their leadership skills and discovered their potential to disciple as presidents of Azusa Pacific’s Student Government Association (SGA), formerly the Associated Student Body (ASB).
Why Graduation Rate Matters in Your College Search
April 25, 2017
As an incoming freshman, Marissa Hartel ’17 admits she was “oblivious” to the idea that it could take longer than the expected four years to graduate. Now, as a graduating senior, she says it is “incredibly important” that she completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology on time.
John Thornton Talks About New Book, Jesus' Terrible Financial Advice
April 18, 2017
John Thornton, Ph.D., CPA, is professor and chair of accounting ethics at Azusa Pacific’s LP and Timothy Leung School of Accounting, and author of Jesus’ Terrible Financial Advice: Flipping the Tables on Peace, Prosperity, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
