Azusa Pacific professors T. Scott Bledsoe, PhD., Department of Clinical Psychology, and Kimberly Setterlund, MSW, LCSW, Department of Social Work, share insights from their newly published book, Using Narratives and Storytelling to Promote Cultural Diversity on College Campuses (IGI Global, 2021).

APU: How important is cultural diversity on college campuses?

TB: A diverse body of students from a variety of backgrounds provides a valuable tapestry of experiences on a college campus, contributing to cultural understanding and better communication with one another.

KS: The richness of diversity on college campuses enhances learning from one another, both in and out of the classroom. As educators, we have an important role in providing an environment for students where we can learn to embrace each other’s differences and see the beauty and uniqueness in one another.

What is the goal of promoting cultural diversity at APU, specifically? How does being a Christian university shape this objective?

TB: Jesus interacted with and discipled people from many backgrounds, recognizing their value in His Kingdom. The Bible itself was originally written in multiple languages. Looking through the lens of our faith tradition, we see a true intersection and integration of cultures. In our world today, we see a multiplicity of cultures, languages, ethnicities, and backgrounds within our faith—it’s no stretch to celebrate diversity as Christ followers. As an open enrollment Christian university, APU benefits from a diverse student population that reflects our Southern California location and this adds greatly to our campus.

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KS: Jesus showed time and again in his ministry how he embraced those who were different, diverse, and on the outskirts of society. The Bible shows us that God loves diversity. He created each of us different from one another, from our personal attributes to our cultural ones. Living our “God First” mission means loving our neighbor as ourselves and recognizing that each of us is made in His image.

What prompted the two of you to write this book?

TB: I have taught classes on cultural diversity at APU’s Orange County Regional Campus for 11 years, and it is something that I have grown to love discussing. Professor Setterlund and I started a qualitative study some years ago, meeting with students and researching their cultures and backgrounds. From this study, we wanted to further bring the students’ stories to life in the form of a book.

KS: We have done other projects together, and had planned to write an article or two. However, as we started working, we realized that we had such rich and timely material that we decided to shift our focus to a book. We thought this would be more honoring for the voices and stories of the students involved.

How would you describe your writing process?

TB: We started out by establishing a solid framework. We created certain parameters to make sure that we were covering the bases. After this, we moved to focusing on and incorporating the stories of the students.

KS: Over the years, Dr. Bledsoe and I have developed a smooth collaborative process. Sometimes we have brainstorming sessions, other times we dive deep into topics, giving candid feedback to each other on projects. We are both very detail oriented, which makes our writing process enjoyable and able to flow well.

What is the importance of narratives in your framework model?

TB: Conversations around cultural diversity are extremely complex and can often lead to conflict or misunderstanding. We designed our framework model to represent the human experience as a whole, including beliefs, values, schemas, and emotions. Having a framework allows stories to develop and flourish, making it easier to have important conversations and understand one another better.

KS: Using this narrative framework model allows us to be honest, authentic, and vulnerable with one another. The model approach reduces the desire for people to have debate, but rather fosters dialogue and helps us learn together. Students are able to fully listen to each others’ stories and authentically draw closer to one another.

What is the value of dialogue versus debate?

TB: Looking at the world around us, from the news to the Thanksgiving table, most of what we hear is debate. It involves finger pointing and eye rolling, and we focus on what we are going to say next, rather than intentionally listening. Dialogue, on the other hand, is more about being fully present and listening to the other person. It’s not so much about me getting my points across to you, but rather fully listening to what you’re telling me, even if I disagree. It’s about hearing and understanding one anothers’ lived experiences. This approach is especially relevant nowadays, given the current ideological landscape around cultural diversity after the death of George Floyd.

KS: In dialogue, we are focusing on meeting one another where we are. We are on a path, learning together, rather than having a winner and loser. With such a strong ideological divide nowadays, college students can easily debate with one another rather than having dialogue.

What surprised you most in writing this book?

TB: What surprised me the most was how the students’ stories were enriched. The stories, on paper, can often seem two-dimensional, like transcriptions. Through the context of the book, the stories were further brought to life, finding new angles and adding another dimension to the narratives. This led us to creating exercises based upon the stories.

KS: After many revisions, we were intently focused on making a cohesive work. In adding the exercises, we felt as though readers had a more practical way to apply the ideas in their own lives.

If you could pick one thing for readers to take away from reading your book, what would that be?

TB: Cultural diversity is an extremely complex topic, and it can be difficult to engage in constructive conversations. I hope that our book gives people a practical model to better understand both our own stories and backgrounds, as well as others.

KS: Every chapter is so unique, and there are so many facets to the discussion on cultural diversity. One specific part that speaks to me is the chapter on faith. I hope readers are affected by the stories, and can see the power behind what happens when faith is incorporated into the discussion.

When the world shifts in a dramatic way, causing disruption in nearly every facet of life, it is the resilient, resourceful, and faithful who persevere and, ultimately, come through stronger and better prepared for the future. During the COVID-19 pandemic, APU students demonstrated fortitude and adaptability through their creativity, innovation, and service, all hallmarks of a rich liberal arts education. Through intentional experiences and learning, championed by caring faculty, students were equipped with problem-solving and critical thinking skills and bolstered by a solid foundation of faith. These valuable competencies, practiced and reiterated throughout the entire university, enabled APU students, uniquely equipped for such a time as this, to courageously live out their calling.

“Our faculty and students rose to meet the challenges the pandemic brought to higher education in inspiring and imaginative ways,” said Provost Rukshan Fernando, PhD. “The lessons we learned will benefit our university and our graduates for years to come.”

SACRED SERVICE

As the cases increased, the focus quickly turned to the vital role of “frontline workers,” who selflessly cared for others besieged by the virus. APU nursing students embraced their vocation with compassion and dedication. “Throughout the pandemic, nursing students served as contact tracers, conducted COVID-19 screenings and testing, and volunteered at vaccine clinics throughout Southern California,” said [Renee Pozza, PhD, RN, CNS, FNP-BC(/faculty/rpozza/), senior associate dean of academic initiatives and innovation and professor.

“When the surge took place last winter, our nursing students stepped up, working on the front lines in acute-care externships. They willingly gave up their Christmas break to serve.”—Renee Pozza, PhD, RN, CNS, FNP-BC

APU nursing students on the cusp of graduation knew that their first experiences as medical professionals would not be business as usual, but they remained committed to their patients and their field, despite the challenges that rocked the healthcare system. These experiences infused their on-campus education with invaluable depth and insight that will serve them—and their future patients—well. “Our primary goal was to help our senior nursing students graduate on time so they could join the workforce during this nursing shortage and help healthcare workers and patients in the midst of the pandemic,” said Beverly Kelley, MS, RN, CNS, CCRN, director of the Entry-Level Master’s in Nursing program at the Inland Empire Regional Campus and assistant professor.

This led the School of Nursing to partner with five local hospitals, turning their clinical placements into COVID-19 outreach programs for underserved populations. Nurses, known for their ability to heal physical pain, more often than not also provide emotional and spiritual comfort for those in their care. When the crisis made it impossible for patients’ loved ones to enter hospital rooms, even for those who were terminally ill and approaching the end of life, APU nursing students “stepped in and held the hands of people who were dying so they wouldn’t be alone,” Kelley said.

While nursing students were tending to physical needs, students studying social work and other behavioral sciences cared for those struggling under the weight of mental, emotional, and spiritual health issues. The prolonged global crisis presented a unique opportunity to connect students and community members while adapting to a changing mental health landscape. Embracing new technology, social work students developed “a whole new skill set in assessing and meeting needs,” said social work professor and department chair Mary Rawlings, PhD.

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To reach the elderly who were in isolation given their particular vulnerability and COVID-19 restrictions, undergraduate students created videos for convalescent home residents, with topics ranging from exercise tips to art to wellness advice. Other students explored the potential of technology to help them care for local children and teens, ensuring that APU’s most effective community outreach programs continued to thrive, including Cougar Pals, which connects APU students to middle-school-aged youth in area schools. Unable to meet in person, students adapted quickly by holding their weekly meetings with their mentees virtually.

“Even with all of the restrictions in place,” said Robert Welsh, PhD, ABPP, dean of the School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences, “our students delivered approximately 100,000 clinical service hours during the pandemic and helped our local population cope with this once-in-a-lifetime crisis.”

Students received the support of local and federal government agencies, which deemed social workers essential, allowing approximately one-third of APU students studying social work to continue in-person service with the homeless, at substance abuse treatment centers, and with other agencies, including the Department of Children and Family Services.

The early months of the pandemic saw sharp spikes in mental health issues in children and adolescents. Emergency rooms reported a 24 percent increase in mental health- related visits in children ages 5-11. Responding to this crisis within a crisis, one graduate student developed resources for children to engage in virtual therapy, ensuring access to mental health professionals in the midst of the pandemic. Another Master of Social Work student, Dominique Salido, MSW ’21, supported the elderly by creating informational brochures on telehealth, ensuring continuity of medical care and attention. “I had to adapt my capstone project to best meet the needs of older adults during the pandemic,” Salido said. The challenges she faced as a social work student resulted in personal growth, “my self-awareness, self-confidence, and compassion for serving others increased this year.”

ETHICAL RESEARCH

The pandemic also shined a light on the contributions of scientists and researchers who worked around the clock to find solutions and treatments. It was this dedication that pushed science students and faculty to the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. Graduate biotech students gained firsthand experience developing the COVID-19 vaccine alongside biotechnology giants, as well as assisting in the creation of new COVID-19 therapeutics with Gilead Sciences (Remdesivir). They used a process that David Dyer, PhD, executive director and professor of biotechnology, said will “represent a way to deal with cancer in the near future.” Much more than medicine and experiments, Dyer believes that APU’s MS in Biotechnology program “models how an ethical, Christian worldview fits into the science world. God created science and medicine for the benefit of people. Science blesses people and saves lives.”

“Biotechnology is one of the fastest-growing industries in the nation, and I am pleased that we offer this program with a Christian perspective to help meet society’s needs,” said Louise Ko Huang, PhD, assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and director of the Center for Research in Science. She pointed to the same forward thinking that drives the field of biotechnology fueling other departments on campus. “COVID-19 is a science problem,” Huang said. “We can use this pandemic as a case study in our science classes. It represents the ultimate culmination of how modern science works.”

INSPIRED CREATION

As the sciences were challenged to innovate, the arts were compelled to reinvent their craft. Theater came to a screeching halt when COVID-19 arrived. The last time the theater’s actors were forced off stage was after the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York, and without Broadway as a North Star, theater students at APU went off script. In true the-show-must-go-on fashion, the Department of Theater Arts adapted to the circumstances, enlisting the help of industry professionals, including professional virtual designer Matt Hill from HBO and technical director Gavin Wyrick, to continue producing shows, as well as Frank Minano, production manager who also serves as the artistic director for Inland Valley Repertory Theatre.

Faculty became students once again, learning new technology and then teaching it to students. The department sent students light and sound equipment in the mail and instructed them via Zoom on how to properly set it up and use it for recording. Despite the obstacles, the department still managed to produce four feature-film-style shows, including Big Fish: The Musical, Winters’ Tale, Pack of Lies, and New Works Play Festival. Senior Industry Showcases, a cornerstone of an artist’s college experience, also stayed on track—albeit a bit unconventionally. The Hollywood Reporter highlighted APU’s web-based Bachelor of Fine Arts showcase, holding them up as a model for other universities. But the department did not stop there. They rented out the Cinelounge in Los Angeles, which allowed casting agents to watch senior showcase drive-in-movie style. These innovations opened the doors for APU students to perform for a much wider audience and trained them for the future of virtual theater.

From street artists caked with chalk dust to the masters whose gold-plated names shimmer in the Louvre’s gallery lights, from Lin-Manuel Miranda to Ang Lee, artists are the world’s litmus tests for cultural honesty, courage, and resilience. “When times are difficult, the artist leans in,” said Jill Brennan-Lincoln, MA, chair and associate professor of the Department of Theater Arts. “We step into the uncomfortable and reflect what is happening. Art reflects life.” Modeling that truism, theater students wrote a web series titled Remotely Yours, which took a look at the awkward turn that life and dating have taken since the arrival of the virus. Students also produced original material for the virtual New Works Festival.

APU’s choral programs seized opportunities to reach new audiences, lift the voices of others, and speak on meaningful matters. “We had to dig in and reinvent our program to reflect the times. Moving forward, I know that we will never take in-person rehearsals for granted again,” said Michelle Jensen, MM, an associate professor and conductor of the Chamber Singers. Based on the theme “Hear Every Voice,” the APU Chamber Singers explored the tragedy of oppression and used their skills and talent to broadcast relevant stories through music and song. They connected virtually with a choral group in the Philippines through an international choir competition called INTERKULTUR. The two conductors and two choirs collaborated to sing a song in the Basque language, capturing second-place honors.

The Chamber Singers also worked with industry professionals and rising-star vocalist Jarret Johnson, performing a virtual rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as the Black Anthem, even earning a Grammy nomination for their version. Contributing to the theme, composer Brian Sidders ’21 wrote a song for APU’s choir titled “Hear My Voice,” featuring 20 languages.

“Our focus on the music of oppressed peoples was very impactful for the members of our ensemble,” said Sidders. “We have a diverse group of singers with different backgrounds; several of them and their communities have endured oppression. For them, it was powerful to sing the music of their community (or a community with similar struggles). For other singers, it was powerful to hear the stories and sing the music of their peers’ communities. There was a definite purpose for our music this year, beyond artistic beauty. That purpose kept us going during a season when the inability to sing together in real-time could have so swiftly extinguished our passion.”

Though the landscape of the arts will likely look different moving forward, one thing remains constant. “Our technology and tools are evolving,” said Stephen Johnson, DMA, dean of the School of the Arts, “yet our making a difference in the lives of students to make a difference in our culture for Christ is unchanged.”

On the stage, in the classroom, and on the streets; at bedsides, in laboratories, and in hospitals—APU students faced the COVID-19 pandemic with a God-given spirit of power, love, and wisdom. At every turn, they embraced the challenges and leaned into the hard work of learning and serving well. Throughout it all, these students have gleaned an invaluable truth— they have the strength, ability, and faith to answer the call and become the scholars and leaders this world so desperately needs.

learned the value of hard work at an early age from his father, Semanu. An immigrant from Ghana, his father taught him how to do things for himself, inculcating an industrious spirit in his son. On the other hand, his mother, Eugenia, taught him how to care for others and be patient. The young Mawugbe applied these lessons to basketball, and combined with his natural physical talent, began to thrive.

Mawugbe grew up in Lancaster, California. Although a talented player at Canyon High School, Mawugbe was not heavily recruited. Justin Leslie ’00, Azusa Pacific University’s men’s basketball coach from 2007-19, saw Mawugbe’s potential.

“There are few that I have seen in this game who have truly earned every step of their development. Selom has worked for every skill and accomplishment while always putting his teammates first,” Leslie said. “When I was recruiting Selom, I told him that it was specifically to break my old blocking records, and he did just that.”

Mawugbe felt drawn to APU because of the basketball program’s reputation for excellent coaches and overall player development. He also was drawn to the university for its academics, deciding to major in biochemistry. “Selom is the perfect blend of a scholar and an athlete,” said Peter Bond ’08, men’s head basketball coach. Mawugbe’s commitment to his studies and his sport made him a well-rounded player who grew quickly. During his freshman year, he appeared in 29 games and led the team in blocks with 40. The next year, he took over a starting role and more than doubled his blocking output with 89, ranking fifth in the nation in blocks. In his junior campaign, Mawugbe broke his own single-season blocks record with 107, second in the nation. His overall play also improved as he averaged a career-high 11.8 points and 8 rebounds per game, earning PacWest Defender of the Year and First-Team All-PacWest Honors.

“I don’t think I’d be anywhere near the basketball player I am today if I wouldn’t have gone to APU. The coaches saw something in me and were able to bring it out.”—Selom Mawugbe

During his senior season, Mawugbe took his play to new heights. The 6’10” forward paced the team in scoring, field goal percentage, blocks, and rebounding, and he was named an All-American. He helped lead the Cougars to a 25-4 regular-season record and a year-end No. 6 ranking in NCAA Division II. As Mawugbe prepared to take the Cougars on a deep postseason run, the world began shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Professional sports leagues canceled or postponed their seasons, including the NCAA calling off the entire March Madness tournament.

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“That was really tough; we had been working toward it all year,” Mawugbe said. “But it was also a strengthening experience to go through that with such a close team. It really emphasized what we had felt all year in terms of how close we were, not only on the court but off the court as well. What we were able to achieve together wasn’t the most important thing; it was the relationships we made through all of that.”

Legendary CBS2 sports reporter Jim Hill, who had been following Mawugbe’s college career, came to campus to interview him about his season being cut short. Hill began the segment asking Mawugbe how it felt to be the best basketball player in Division II. Always humble, he deflected the praise and instead focused on those who had helped him along the way. “Without my team, without this school, without my family’s support, and most importantly, without God, none of this would have been possible,” he shared. After the cameras turned off and the gym lights went out, Mawugbe returned home and the wait began.

For months, Mawugbe lived in uncertainty. He held tight to his faith. During that time, he worked part time at a Lowe’s home improvement store, praying that he could resume his basketball journey one day. Those prayers were answered on January 11, 2021, when the Santa Cruz Warriors selected Mawugbe with the 23^rd pick of the NBA G-League Draft. “It was a huge moment of shock, surprise, and gratefulness. When they first contacted me, it was only two days prior to the draft. I really didn’t know how serious they were about picking me,” Mawugbe said. “Santa Cruz’s GM called me to let me know it was official. It was surreal. I was just happy to be in that position after waiting for so long after the cancellation of my senior season. A lot of waiting, a lot of praying and preparing. I was grateful to see the outcome.”

Within weeks, he was playing for the team in the G-League’s shortened bubble season. Mawugbe played in 12 games, averaging 5.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Though the season was short, Mawugbe said he learned so much playing alongside well-known NBA players like Jordan Poole and Jeremy Lin. Although he doesn’t know if he’ll be on the Warriors’ roster again next season, Mawugbe isn’t worried about that. After getting through last year, he knows he can overcome anything with the support of his friends, family, and faith.

Mawugbe has been working on rehabbing an injury he sustained late in the season. He’s spent a lot of time thinking about the advice he received and how he can apply it to his life.

“The biggest lesson I learned was from Lin, just to enjoy the process and the journey, not just focusing on the destination. Sometimes, especially as athletes, we can get hyperfocused on getting to that next level —you lose out on the greatness of the present,” Mawugbe said. “For my time in the G-League, I’m just focused on making good relationships with the staff and my teammates, and just making the most of my time there, having fun with what I do every day.”

Editor’s Note: The Warriors included Mawugbe in their 2021 summer roster.

After more than a year of virtual learning, students at Azusa Pacific University are reuniting with their classmates and professors in person this fall. While most college students are excited to be attending in-person classes, this transition is inevitably an adjustment for all, and getting back into the swing of things could take time.

“Most students have likely constructed some sense of a ‘normal’ routine over the past year,” said Bill Fiala, PhD, ABPP, dean of wellness at APU. “Students coming back to campus should anticipate that they will need to construct a new routine, which could take a little time to get used to.”

A little preparation and knowledge of resources can go a long way. Here’s how you can succeed at APU this fall.

Visualize and Write It Down

If you really want to hit the ground running, try practicing visualization and writing your routine out on paper.

Visualization is a powerful performance-enhancing tool that only takes a few minutes each day and can help ensure you achieve your goals. Mentally walk yourself through the day ahead; imagine what might happen—both the good and the bad. Then, take time to consciously identify how you might respond to those things.

“Going back to in-person meeting times is an adjustment for everyone. Keeping an organized schedule and time management is key,” said Stephanie Gala, director of APU’s Academic Success Center. “Using scheduling tools and calendars, such as Google Calendar, will help you stay organized.”

Keep Reading: Take Control: How to Set Academic Goals in 2021 and Beyond

Once you’ve mentally mapped out your day, write it down on a piece of paper. That may make all the difference, as studies show you’re far more likely to achieve your goals when you write them down.

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Invest in Your Health

Switching from a sedentary, pajama-garbed education to a full-blown, in-person experience on campus can be a shock to the system, or at least to your overall stamina and energy. So it’s essential to remain vigilant about your health, as it can greatly ease the adjustment. This includes healthy habits like:

• Exercising regularly
• Eating healthy and maintaining portion control
• Getting plenty of sleep
• Praying consistently

“Recognize that in-person interactions require a different kind of energy,” noted Fiala, “so be patient with yourself if you are feeling a bit tired or drained at first.”

Apply that same patience to your personal comfort levels. Don’t force yourself back into a strenuous workout routine if you aren’t ready for that yet. Instead, map out a few running or walking routes around campus, or invest in some lightweight gym equipment, including resistance bands or a jump rope, so you can break a sweat inside or outside your dorm.

Socialize at Your Speed

After more than a year of social distancing, many students are incredibly eager to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, and the APU campus and classrooms offer an ideal environment for that. “We are built for community,” Fiala noted, “so take advantage of the many opportunities you will have to make connections with others once you do return to campus.”

At the same time, he recognizes it won’t be easy to simply flick the socialization switch from off to on and that returning to in-person social interactions may be an adjustment. “Students might feel out of practice connecting with one another in person and will need to extend grace to each other as they create a sense of belonging and connection on campus.”

Nevertheless, make every effort to nurture your social side, as surrounding yourself with good people is key to well-being and happiness, as well as educational success.

Keep Reading: What to Look for in a First-Year College Experience

“Everyone needs to be gracious and understanding with each other and themselves,” said Gala. “There is no one right way to transition back from the experience we all have had. The APU community is ready to receive you and support you.”

Take Advantage of On-Campus Resources

Returning to in-person classes also comes with greater access to a wealth of resources and services on campus that can help you readjust to in-person learning.

Those services include:

• Free teletherapy sessions at the Counseling Center
• Academic support, including advising, tutoring, and more, through the Academic Success Center
• Spiritual support and opportunities through the Office of Spiritual Life

The Counseling Center offers COVID-19-specific support, including a number of groups and workshops targeting student wellness and anxiety management.

Want to learn more about transitioning back to campus well? Check out the Health Center page..

Since its launch in September 2020, APU’s seven-year Strategic Plan—Renewal: Strengthening Our Capacity for Cultivating Christ-Centered Scholars and Leaders—has shaped the focus of the university with its three-phase approach to Refocus (2020-21), Rebuild (2021-22), and Renew (2022-27). Despite myriad challenges during the 2020-21 academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first nine months of implementation brought remarkable gains in delivering on APU’s educational mission with excellence, addressing issues of equity and justice, and creating a sustainable financial enterprise. Considerable university-wide collaboration, new external funding sources, financial targets met, and student success in a year of imposed remote learning highlight meaningful progress toward the aspiration for APU to be the premier Christian university of choice for our culture and times.

Strong Collaboration and Engagement

Resulting from broad community engagement in Fall 2020 to better understand the five Grand Initiatives of Renewal, 275 faculty, staff, and students now serve on 18 working groups. These groups assess and make recommendations for improvement in key areas of focus for 2020-22. Important institution-wide issues include communicating our institutional identity in the 21st century; student and employee enrollment and hiring, retention, and success; academic program growth and alignment; diversity, equity, and inclusion; financial sustainability in a postpandemic environment; and much more. Active involvement across the institution reflects APU’s commitment to become a more transformational and collaborative organization in harnessing the expertise, interest, and leadership of our faculty, staff, and students. This university-wide collaboration reflects an overall commitment to seeing the plan move forward to positively impact the delivery of our Christ-centered academic mission.

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Early Fundraising and Financial Success

A byproduct of this clear and compelling plan has been early success in raising external funding for Renewal priorities. One such priority includes growing the university’s endowment to enhance student scholarships, faculty research, and campus facilities. Already this year, $5.18 million in gifts and commitments have been secured for Renewal endowment projects, including $1 million from the Fletcher Jones Foundation to provide seed funding for a new Endowed Chair in Citizenship and Civic Virtue. APU’s prestigious national R2 Carnegie research designation was enhanced by a $650,000 National Science Foundation grant award to enhance engagement of first-generation students in the STEM fields, while $120,000 founded the President’s Scholarship Enhancement Grants Program for new faculty research. Committed to meeting the need of APU’s increasing commuter student population, the university announced $6.5 million in private donations dedicated to a comprehensive renovation of space on West Campus. In addition to these remarkable strides, APU made significant progress in meeting all operating financial and budget targets for 2020 amid the COVID pandemic and closed campuses. All nonacademic divisions engaged in a university rightsizing initiative by June 30, leading to a reallocation of $14 million to the university’s operational priorities. The academy’s rightsizing and realignment efforts are slated for completion by Fall 2022. This challenging work will ensure APU effectively allocates its resources for current needs while attending to financial sustainability in the future.

Remote Learning and Community Well-Being

APU faculty, staff, and students adapted admirably to the unexpected impact of a global pandemic on the face-to face learning environment. Delivering on APU’s core academic mission in a safe, responsible manner was foundational to the first year of Renewal implementation. In a year marked by agility and adaptability, APU invested $1.3 million in expanded hyflex technology in classrooms and enhancements to the remote learning management system and mobile platforms. In addition, $1.2 million was raised to establish a COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Center on the Azusa campus in support of a year of remote learning and in anticipation of a hopeful return to in-person learning in Fall 2021. To help attract and retain the best employees, APU launched a new flexible-time-off policy for eligible employees, as a commitment to employee well-being and leadership in provision of contemporary benefits in the higher education sector.

Commitment to Our Mission

Renewal seeks to advance APU as a university of impactful Christian scholars and leaders characterized by best practice of the highest quality. In light of unprecedented challenges in 2020-21, many would understand if it got off to a slow start. To the contrary, just nine months into a seven-year plan, the level of commitment to Christ-centered academic excellence is strong, the sense of anticipation for a bright future is high, and the recognition of God’s provision is clear. A spirit of hope and Renewal pervades APU.

Motorbikes rev their engines, neighbors greet one another, and roosters crow against the gentle lull of the ocean —a new day dawns in a remote Filipino village. Connie, a local single mother, begins her job as a sanitation employee, proudly earning an income so her sons can attend high school. Nearby, Jorge hugs his wife and three children close before heading to work—his days of traveling to faraway cities to earn money are behind him. In the surrounding countryside, a family starts their day on the coconut farm, finally receiving fair pay for their quality produce. These individuals, plus hundreds more, have had their lives impacted by Dignity Coconuts, a locally operated coconut oil business created and led by Erik Olson ’03, President, Bet Olson ’04, Lead Ideator, and her father, Stephen Freed, CEO.

“Those in poverty often describe their situation as more than just a lack of physical resources; to them, poverty is feeling trapped, hopeless and ashamed,” said Erik. “Dignity Coconuts aims to break this cycle, restoring hope and dignity.”

Erik and Bet’s work with Dignity Coconuts can be traced back to their time at Azusa Pacific University, where they met. As they attended classes, worshipped in chapel, and engaged with the community, God grew their hearts for those in need.

“My time at APU deepened my desire to not only spread the Good News, but to also bring transformative change in physical lives and communities around the world,” said Bet, a Christian ministries major.

Following graduation, the Olsons returned to APU as an engaged couple to lead an undergraduate Action Team, traveling to Athens to work with victims of human trafficking. On those streets at midnight, handing out hot coffee and befriending endangered women, God stretched their hearts in a new way.

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“Many of these women came from abject poverty, received false promises, and were utterly trapped,” said Erik. “The root issue could often be traced back to lack of jobs and opportunities.”

When Bet’s father, also burdened by the worldwide problem of human trafficking, set out to create a business that would provide safe and fair jobs to women in poverty, Erik and Bet jumped at the chance to get involved. At the time, Bicol was accessible by motorbikes only, the nearest hospital was three hours away, and rain made travel often impossible. What kind of large business could possibly thrive in such conditions? Coconuts. More than 86,000 coconut trees span the surrounding area, most owned by small farmers living in poverty and burdened by mounting debt. Dignity Coconuts stepped in, providing fair partnership and beginning a life-changing coconut oil business.

Today, their plant employs 121 individuals and partners with 156 farming families. All operations are locally led by Filipinos, empowering community members to run a thriving business. Connie, Jorge, and so many others work together to create thousands of jars of certified organic coconut oil, available on Amazon and in 1,200 stores across the United States. Each jar proudly bears the signature of a local employee—and each name holds a story of hope that can be found on Dignity Coconuts’ website: dignitycoconuts.com “My physical and spiritual life is so bright. I have new hope for my family. My child can go to high school,” said Angeline, a local mother previously addicted to gambling. “Thank you for giving us dignity.”

Apart from the life-changing impact behind this enterprise, Dignity Coconuts uses an extraction method that preserves nutrients, resulting in a truly raw, one-of-a-kind product. Instead of leaving waste behind, all parts of the coconut are used for various purposes, including shell powder used to create renewable plastics.

As Dignity Coconuts has grown, the Olsons and Freeds now work with the local team to run additional community development efforts: life-skills classes, financial mentoring, health clinics, and clean-water kits. When a series of typhoons brought destruction and starvation, Dignity Coconuts employees distributed 250,000 pounds of rice and repaired 336 homes. When not in the Philippines, Erik and Bet live in Minnesota with their two children, Tess, 10, and Zain, 11, inspiring others to create and support businesses that spread God’s goodness throughout the nations. “Wherever Jesus walked, He brought hope, especially to those who needed it most,” said Bet. “With His help, we have been amazed at the impact this business has made on the entire community.”

To honor the legacy that Jon Wallace left behind at Azusa Pacific University is to remember the ways in which he impacted the lives of students.

As a reporter for ZU News, APU’s student newspaper, I had the privilege to interview Jon twice. In just two conversations, he made an indelible impact on my life. When I heard of his passing, I thought back to those interviews. During both, it felt as though he was interviewing me instead of the other way around.

As a freshman, I had summoned up all the courage I could muster to ask my former editor-in-chief if I could take the “J. Dubs” story. I was a sports reporter, but I knew I wanted to be more. I remember waking up that morning and chugging two cups of coffee because I didn’t want to look tired in front of the president. Then I got super jittery and began to worry that I wouldn’t be able to sit still for the 30-minute interview. When I first walked into Jon’s office, he shared that he had read some of my work. I was surprised, honored, and relieved all at once, and I forgot my other concerns. Jon had that effect on people. He knew that as a leader, it helps to live like a servant and not be bigger than anyone else in the room.

He broke the tension by making fun of me, a rookie reporter interviewing the most important man on campus.

“So I’ve read some of your articles,” he said. “It looks like you cover mostly sports. They sent the sports guy to interview me, huh?”

“Yes, sir. I do write mostly sports stories. But I also cover hard news and politics and I—”

“Can’t take a joke?” he laughed.

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I laughed, too, realizing I had just been roasted by the president of my university. The interview quickly improved as Jon responded enthusiastically to my questions, using the opportunity to encourage students to engage politically.

Jon wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. He joined a number of Christian college presidents who sent a letter to the White House, concerning an executive order on immigration: “Many in our diverse communities come to our campuses on the shoulders of immigrants. Indeed, we all share pages in that American heritage of welcoming the vulnerable, extending hospitality, and inviting participation in the great experiment of these United States. … Scripture calls us to care for the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the refugee. It also urges us that we work with respect for the authorities of our nation with fidelity to our Christian identity. We contend that every person bears the image of God and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”

“Students need to express their voice and encourage conversation with their friends around issues that matter,” he said.

During his final years as president, Jon endured multiple bouts of cancer. At the end of the 2017-18 school year, he announced his decision to retire in a morning chapel. Thousands of students and alumni felt the shock of that announcement. Jon had led APU for nearly 20 years as president, and was as enthusiastic as ever when you bumped into him on campus. He still loved talking with students and meeting new friends around Cougar Walk, but after much discussion and contemplation with his wife of 45 years, Gail, and his family, he knew the time was right.

When I heard he was retiring, I wanted the chance to speak with him again. This time I was accompanied by my friend Brandon Rodriguez, the newspaper’s sports editor. Jon welcomed us into his office and proceeded to roast me for the second time in two interviews. As they both laughed at me, I began contemplating angles to take for the story, the biggest of my career.

How do you capture someone’s legacy? Is it the impact they had on an institution? Is it in the memory of the family they are blessed to call their own? Or is it in the advice dispensed from one generation to the next? That day, Jon told me something that had taken his whole life for him to truly learn. He had worked at the university for more than four decades, in a variety of areas, including the cafeteria, campus security, the bookstore, and the print shop. Many career changes led Jon to the position of dean of students and eventually the presidency.

“I stayed at Azusa because I was continuously chosen,” he said. “When you’re chosen, it means that someone believes in you enough to let you fail.”

This stayed with me as I experienced the truth of his words firsthand. Just months later, I was chosen to lead the news staff of ZU News — something that I would fail at time and time again. Each failure was daunting. Each failure was bearable. I knew my faculty advisor still believed in me. I knew my staff wasn’t going to give up on me. I knew this because of what Jon told me.

I bet Jon failed, too. But that didn’t stop him from making an ineffable impression on thousands of students. That didn’t stop him from leading each Candela in the fall and speaking at Chapel each year. That didn’t stop a custodian from becoming president. Talking to Jon was like talking to an old friend. He embodied true servant leadership, a feat most are unable to achieve. You didn’t work beneath him; you worked alongside him. In the interview, Jon talked a lot about his faith, including his life verse, Galatians 2:20 (NRSV): “And it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” It is easy to be lost in sorrow in the wake of his passing, but I find solace in the thought of Jon being up there, making bread and greeting others with his trademark salutation. Shalom, Jon; go with God.

To honor Jon’s remarkable life, leadership, and contribution to APU, the Wallace family established the Jon R. Wallace Endowed Scholarship with a significant initial gift. Consistent with Jon’s deep commitment to students and their ability to attend APU, this endowment will assist students with financial need who are committed to making a difference in the world through their APU education. The Wallace family requests that financial gifts in Jon’s memory be designated to this scholarship.

Living off-campus as a college student has its benefits and challenges. Commuter students can maximize their time by being mindful of how they set up their classes and schedule out their day. Here are four tips that can help you create a weekly routine for your academic and personal life.

1. Choose a Schedule That Works for You

Hanna Sayegh ’20, a commuter student at Azusa Pacific University and intern in the Office of Commuter Life, noted that roughly 80 percent of the school’s commuters juggle multiple jobs. However, she said that even if students don’t plan to work while commuting to college, it’s a good idea they create a class schedule that works for them.

“Most undergraduate commuter students come in early and take all their classes on either Tuesdays and Thursdays, or Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,” Sayegh explained.

Keep Reading: 5 Tips for Choosing a Major in College

Coordinating classes so you only need to come to campus a few days a week, or for just a couple hours every other day, can help free up space in your schedule. That’s time you can use to get ahead on coursework, tend to the rest of your responsibilities, or attend on-campus social events, which can help you experience student life and meet other people.

“The best way to have the college experience is to find connections and be involved on campus,” Sayegh said. Scheduling your classes to create more free time can open up opportunities to connect with your college community.

2. Factor in the Time It Takes to Travel (and Park)

When choosing your class schedule, it’s a good idea to build in some buffer time. You want to have enough of a cushion before your first class of the day to account for unexpected traffic or personal issues.

Sayegh noted that she would even encourage commuter students to consider the time it takes to navigate parking, and think about not just how early, but how late they want to be on campus, especially if they take public transportation.

“If you need a place to hangout in between classes, the Cougar Dome is a great space to relax, study, and meet other commuters,” said Brittany Billar, associate dean of engagement. She also suggests taking advantage of APU’s complimentary transportation program, which provides all students with a free Foothill Bus pass. “You can pick up your Foothill Bus tap card in the Cougar Dome,” she advised.

3. Take Advantage of Your Commute

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Whether you drive or take public transportation, you can get creative and use your commute time to advance your study efforts! To use your commute to your advantage, you can use library rentals (or library apps) to listen to audiobooks and review course materials. Apps like Hoopla and Overdrive make it possible to turn your travel time into a study session.

Mila Reyes ’21, a commuter student and current intern of the Office of Commuter Life, recommends making recordings of lecture material so you can listen to your notes on the road. She says, “Commuting often takes study time away from me but listening to recordings helps me earn some study time back. Recordings especially come in handy when I need to study but also need to work out.”

If you take public transportation, it’s also a good idea to keep a physical copy of the book with you, so you can note important sections to reference in essays later.

4. Use the Time In Between Your Classes

Even if you only have 20 minutes between classes, you can use that time wisely by reviewing your notes, brainstorming angles for an upcoming essay, or making study guides. For longer breaks, you can utilize on-campus services such as the campus Writing Center to get a head-start on projects and assignments.

Keep Reading: 5 Tips for Online Courses: How to Connect with Your Professors

If you have a mix of online and in-person classes, you can use this time to read and reply to class discussion forums. As a busy student, you have many tasks that need to get done each week. One way to feel like you are in control of your time is to list out your 10-, 20-, and 30-minute tasks. Even huge projects like an essay can be broken down into smaller bite-sized pieces!

Having this list in your phone or planner can help you stay focused and productive when you’re short on time. For example, if you only have 10 minutes to spare, making two flashcards or emailing a classmate about your group project will be more productive than checking in on social media. Completing school tasks between classes will also give you more free time once you get home!

Did you know that Azusa Pacific University has an office just for commuters? The Office of Commuter Life is a great spot to connect with other students, grab one free coffee and snack per day, and even access free essentials you might have left at home.

If you love problem-solving and embracing new technology, pursuing one of the engineering degrees offered at Azusa Pacific University could be the right career move for you. Although any concentration in engineering can serve you well after graduation, the benefits may be multiplied by fitting the right program to your specific talents and passions.

This begins with looking at the differences between systems engineering and computer engineering degrees to decide the best course ahead for you.

Systems Engineering Versus Computer Engineering

Computer engineering focuses on computer hardware and software, computer networks, and applications, from embedded systems to cluster computers to cloud computing, explained Jim Johansen, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Engineering and Computer Science at APU. “With these skills, one will be able to work in a variety of fields. This could include developing handheld devices, internet of things devices, architecting large data center computing platforms, or customizing computing platforms to work in space exploration or satellite systems.”

Keep Reading: Take Control: How to Set Academic Goals in 2021 and Beyond

Systems engineering, on the other hand, is more complex and involves bringing together many different parts and putting them in sync. “Think of being the conductor for an orchestra,” Johansen said. “Individuals are needed that see the big picture and have specialized skills to uncover design issues early in product development cycles.”

A good example, he pointed out, is satellite systems, where each subsystem has to be designed to cooperate with others. This involves far more than just building the technical infrastructure but also maintaining and supporting it.

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Which Path Is Right for You?

At APU, both concentrations fall under the Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree, and all engineering students, regardless of specialization, start with the same firm foundation of mechanics, electrical circuits, electronics, digital systems, and control systems, along with a strong mathematics and physics framework.

“Both computer engineering and systems engineering require critical thinking and evaluation skills, the ability to feel comfortable with math, technology, and scientific instrumentation,” emphasized Johansen.

In terms of choosing a focus, if you enjoy working specifically with computers to evaluate, design, and maintain computer hardware and software systems, you may want to concentrate on computer engineering. If you want to have a broader engineering degree, systems engineering may be the best approach, as it helps graduates navigate different disciplines while staying focused on the big picture of the task.

Keep Reading: Supporting Academic Success for Minority Students: APU Names Top 100 Degree Producer

A good way to decide between the two paths is to consider your first job post-graduation. Do you see yourself as a computer engineer who works for a high-tech company like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, or Dell? “Systems engineers can find interesting jobs in markets where complex integration is required,” Johansen added, pointing to organizations like NASA and aerospace companies like Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.

Start Your Engineering Degree Today

Because both systems and computer engineering degrees fall under the same BS in Engineering program, you have some time to take the core courses before deciding on your concentration. If you’re still unsure, Johansen said, “Try a few cross-cutting classes to validate one’s decision or make a change while still staying within the APU ECS degree options.” If questions persist, APU’s professors, staff members, and even your fellow students stand ready to support and assist you.

Ready to put your technical savviness and talent for problem-solving to good use? Find out what a BS in Engineering is all about and how soon you can start classes.

A team of APU Honors College students wrote a book about C.S. Lewis’ science fiction novels that has reached the top spot on two Amazon best seller lists. A Compass for Deep Heaven: Navigating the C.S. Lewis Ransom Trilogy, (Square Halo Books 2021), hit No. 1 in the “Religious Literature Criticism” and “Science Fiction & Fantasy Literary Criticism” categories. A Compass for Deep Heaven has received enthusiastic feedback from readers all over the world, including endorsements from more than a dozen major Lewis scholars and incorporation into the curriculum of numerous academic programs.

The editor of the book, Diana Pavlac Glyer, PhD, is a professor in the APU Honors College as well as the Department of English. She has won multiple awards for her research on the lives of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Her books The Company They Keep (2008) and Bandersnatch (2015) offer insights into the Inklings’ collaborative writing process. In her work with the Honors College, Glyer has served as a mentor and editor for multiple Oxbridge Tutorial groups, in which seniors spend a year diving deep into exploring a single text, resulting in scholarly collaboration and a published book.

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“The first three years of the Honors program are an exciting but brisk overview of great books. During this time, students are challenged to master a number of texts. For their senior year, students allow a text to master them, diving deeper into a focused text with colleagues. The Oxbridge tutorial is not just a senior thesis. Rather, it allows students to participate in a scholarly literary conversation, making significant contributions that increase understanding of a specific work,” said Glyer.

For their 2018-2019 Oxbridge Tutorial, Glyer and her student writers released their book under the original title, Warnings from Outer Space: Backdrops & Building Blocks of C. S. Lewis’s Science Fiction Trilogy. The text focused on C. S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy, a trio of science fiction works predating Lewis’ popular Mere Christianity and Chronicles of Narnia series.

“These texts are not widely known, not widely read, and quite honestly perplexing. We saw this as a valuable opportunity to add something of significance to the scholarly conversation,” Glyer said.

In order to write their Oxbridge book, students underwent immense collaborative work for over a year. Students read the book individually and participated in discussions with their Oxbridge teams. For their book, the team focused on exploring themes and topics that they wished they had understood better before reading the Lewis texts themselves. The Ransom Trilogy explores literary tropes from Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, Arthurian legend, and more. Glyer and her students aimed to offer a guide for readers to be able to understand the complexities of these texts to a higher degree. “The problem with C. S. Lewis is that he thinks we’re smarter than we are. Many of his references can be confusing. For our book, we wanted to provide some of this background so that readers would be able to read Lewis with greater pleasure and understanding.”

After the completion and local release of their Oxbridge book, APU graduate Julianne Johnson ’19 joined as co-editor, and the team pushed on to have their work distributed on a broader level. Although the book had been published by the Honors College, Glyer and her team decided to also reach out to conventional publishers for further commercial distribution.

“By this time, most of the student writers had already graduated and were in full-time work or graduate school. We had to meet on weekends, perfecting each chapter and revising our work for a broader audience. The students’ hard work and commitment to collaboration was inspiring for me to see.”

Johnson also commented on the difficult yet rewarding collaborative process. “Getting so many contributors together to work on the book was not always easy. While we worked on the project, one of the challenges we had to overcome was how to communicate with mentors and classmates in different time zones and countries. Ultimately, facing these challenges was rewarding, and revealed our passion for communicating what C. S. Lewis had taught us. It was really a joy to study this work alongside so many gifted people.”

Thanks to the team’s hard work and cooperation, the book was picked up by major publisher Square Halo Books, and released under a new title, A Compass for Deep Heaven: Navigating the C. S. Lewis Ransom Trilogy. After a lengthy revision process, the team was ecstatic to have a widely distributed published final product.

Glyer and her students have been able to use their commercial success to give back to the APU community. The team decided to forgo all royalties generated from the book’s release, and instead directed all the proceeds to the Honors College to create an award for an outstanding senior writer. Glyer and the Honors faculty are currently in the process of creating the “Compass Award,” honoring a graduating senior for an exemplary Oxbridge essay.

“Student writing created an income to establish an award for other student writers. A student book, a student-led initiative, and a student-award to encourage future generations of Honors Scholars—It makes me incandescently happy.”