Kali Jo Anema ’24 spent her summer working as a camp counselor at a dairy farm. “I love working with kids, spending time outdoors, and being active,” she said. Between showing kids how to milk cows and climbing rocks, Anema is recharged by engaging in nature and loving others. As a senior set to graduate this fall with a degree in psychology and a minor in honors humanities from Azusa Pacific University, Anema strives to continue pursuing her passions to help others through what she loves.
Originally from Lodi, Calif., a small town in the central valley, Anema grew up surrounded by farms. Whenever she returns home, she is most likely spending quality time with her three sisters and four nieces and nephews.
While deciding where to attend college, Anema looked at a few Christian universities in California. APU’s Honors College caught her attention. “I always enjoyed Socratic seminars in high school because I yearned for more spaces to discuss deep topics,” she said. “I appreciate that APU’s honors program is built around colloquy, a class structure that allows students to talk honestly about life, faith, and literature.”
Anema entered APU as a communications major, but later realized it wasn’t her calling. She already had a psychology minor, so she chose to switch and major in it instead. “I love how psychology is an integration of many disciplines, like social work, science, statistics, and biology,” she said. Helping others is at the forefront of Anema’s goals through her career, and psychology opens a number of different routes she can take to find that.
The Honors College has been an excellent fit for Anema as she furthers her understanding of humanity in both her major and minor. “Honors helps answer the blank spaces in psychology, digging deeper into why people do what they do,” she said. “The professors in honors don’t tell you what to think, rather they teach you how to think. We read texts to engage with them and investigate the authors’ intent in the same way a psychologist would practice critical thinking.”
Some of Anema’s most impactful experiences throughout her time at APU have stemmed from wrestling with books in honors. “I came to APU wanting to explore Christianity again. My faith has been tested and challenged numerous times, but I’m grateful for the space honors has given me to question my beliefs and hear other people’s opinions.”
Expanding on her faith journey, Anema appreciates APU’s nuance in its approach to Christianity. “I’ve seen so many different aspects of faith here that I wasn’t familiar with,” she said. Out of curiosity, Anema took a class centered around the biblical characters Ruth and Esther, and the course transformed her.
In addition to her classes, Anema has been greatly involved on campus. She was a resident advisor in Engstrom Hall last year, worked as a peer educator in the University Counseling Center, and is currently serving as a teacher’s assistant (TA) in the Honors College for the third time this year. “I love being a TA so much because I get to talk to freshmen in honors and grade their work,” she said. Anema is the president of the Outdoor Club, where she gets to lead adventures with APU students who share the same love for nature.
When asked what she hopes to do after graduation, Anema shared an endless list of dreams. From graduate school, to traveling, to working in agriculture, Anema’s many interests drive her to explore the world. “I’ll be better able to serve clients in the future if I learn and experience life to the fullest, so I’m eager for whatever doors open,” she said.
Anema’s passion for entering a helping profession, and embracing her love for nature and connections helps students thrive. From the openness and enthusiasm that she shares on campus and wherever she goes, she’s bound to make a difference.
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