Azusa Pacific University
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| Azusa Pacific University | |
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| Motto: | "God First" |
| Established: | 1899 |
| Type: | Private |
| Religious affiliation: | Non-denominational |
| President: | Jon R. Wallace, DBA |
| Provost: | Michael M. Whyte, Ph.D. |
| Faculty: | 1,131 |
| Staff: | 617 |
| Undergraduates: | 4,722 |
| Postgraduates: | 3,406 |
| Location: | Azusa, California, United States |
| Campus: | Suburban, 105 acres (0.4 km²) on two campuses |
| Sports: | Baseball Basketball Cheerleading Cross country Football Softball Soccer Swimming & Diving Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Waterpolo |
| Colors: | Red, White, and Black |
| Nickname: | APU |
| Mascot: | Cougars |
| Athletics: | NAIA |
| Affiliations: | GSAC |
| Website: | www.apu.edu |
Azusa Pacific University is a private, non-denominational, evangelical Christian university located near Los Angeles in suburban Azusa, California. It was founded in 1899, with classes opening on March 3, 1900 in Whittier, California. It began offering degrees in 1939. APU holds regional accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
While officially non-denominational, the university has informal ties with the evangelical Wesleyan Church, Free Methodist Church and the Church of God. The university's seminary, Haggard School of Theology, holds to a Wesleyan, Arminian doctrinal theology. With nearly 5,000 students, APU's undergraduate student body is the largest in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (though Indiana Wesleyan University has a larger total student body) and the second largest evangelical undergrad student body in the United States, behind only Liberty University [1].
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[edit] Campus locations
Azusa Pacific University’s Azusa campus is situated in the San Gabriel Valley, located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Los Angeles.
The university also maintains seven off-site regional centers in Southern California:
- Inland Empire Regional Center (San Bernardino)
- Murrieta Regional Center
- San Diego Regional Center
- High Desert Regional Center (Victorville)
- Los Angeles Regional Center
- Orange County Regional Center (Orange)
- Ventura Regional Center (Oxnard)
[edit] History
| Training School for Christian Workers | Established | 1889 |
| Pacific Bible College | Renamed | 1939 |
| Azusa College | Renamed | 1956 |
| Azusa College and Los Angeles Pacific College |
Merged | 1965 |
| Azusa Pacific College and Arlington College |
Merged | 1968 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Renamed | 1981 |
What is known today as Azusa Pacific University is the product of the merger of three Southern California-area Christian institutions: Azusa College, Los Angeles Pacific College, and Arlington College.
Azusa Pacific University was established as the Training School for Christian Workers in 1889 in Whittier, California, the first Bible college on the West Coast.[citation needed]
In 1939 the Training School became Pacific Bible College, and four-year degrees were offered. In 1956, the name was changed to Azusa College. Azusa College merged first in 1965 with Los Angeles Pacific College and became Azusa Pacific College, and three years later, APC merged with Arlington College.
Upon its achievement of university status in 1981, the college changed its name to Azusa Pacific University. During that decade, off-site educational regional centers throughout Southern California were instated and master’s degree programs were first approved.
During the 1990s, Azusa Pacific began offering not only undergraduate, but also graduate degrees, and during that decade the university’s first three doctoral programs were awarded. Student enrollment doubled, and graduate programs quadrupled throughout the decade.[citation needed]
In November 2000, then-Executive Vice President Jon R. Wallace, DBA, became president. [1] Under Wallace’s leadership, Azusa Pacific University continued to grow. The university now offers more than 60 areas of undergraduate study, 26 master’s degree programs, and 7 doctorates to a total student population of more than 8,100.
[edit] Accreditation and recognition
[edit] Specialized accreditation
- 1964 Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- 1975 Board of Registered Nursing (School of Nursing)
- 1977 National League for Nursing (Undergraduate Nursing Program)
- 1982 Council on Social Work Education (Undergraduate Social Work Program)
- 1990 Association of Theological Schools (Haggard School of Theology)
- 1991 National League for Nursing (Undergraduate Nursing Program)
- 1999 Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education of the American Physical Therapy Association (Graduate Physical Therapy Program)
- 2001 California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) (Graduate Teacher Education)
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) (Graduate Teacher Education)
- International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, Business programs
- American Psychological Association (APA) (Graduate Psychology Program)
- The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (Undergraduate Department of Physical Education)
- 2002 Joint Review Committee on Education Programs in Athletic Training Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) (Athletic Training Education Program)
- 2007 National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) (School of Music) [2]
[edit] Academics
Azusa Pacific University is organized into one college and six schools. The academics programs are available from College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and specifically the School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences, School of Business and Management, School of Education, School of Music, School of Nursing, and School of Theology.
[edit] University libraries
APU offers three libraries on its main campus, with an additional six off-campus libraries supporting academic programs at the APU Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Murrieta, and Ventura Regional Centers. The main campus libraries are the William V. Marshburn Library, Hugh and Hazel Darling Library, and Stamps Theological Library, and contain a print collection of more than 215,000 books and media, 1,800 periodical titles, and 630,000 microforms. The university network also provides access to more than 100 online databases, which include more than 12,000 full-text periodical titles and 23,000 electronic books. [3] Special Collections of Azusa Pacific University are housed in the Thomas F. Andrews Room of the Hugh and Hazel Darling Library, located on APU’s west campus.
[edit] Academic resources
Azusa Pacific University offers students and faculty various academic resources. These include career services, the Center for Academic Service Learning and Research, the Center for Global Learning and Engagement, the Center for Research in Ethics in Values, the Center for Research in Science, an Honors Program, the Institute of Faith Integration, the Noel Academy for Strengths-Based Leadership and Education, and the Writing Center.
[edit] Athletics
More than 300 Azusa Pacific University student-athletes compete in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 17 intercollegiate sports:
- Baseball (Men)
- Basketball (Men and women)
- Cheerleading (Women)
- Cross country (Men and women)
- Football (Men)
- Softball (Women)
- Soccer (Men and women)
- Swimming & Diving (Women)
- Tennis (Men and women)
- Track & Field (Men and women)
- Volleyball (Women)
- Waterpolo (Women)
Azusa Pacific Athletics achieved three consecutive wins of the Directors’ Cup in 2005, 2006, and 2007, with a total of 93 GSAC Championships and 28 NAIA National Championships.[citation needed]
[edit] Student life
[edit] Campus activities
- Chapel Programs
- Communiversity
- The Arts: Music, Theater
- Health and Wellness: the University Counseling Center, Health Center, and Fitness Center.
[edit] Community involvement
- Ministry and Service
APU sponsors numerous local and global programs, including: tutoring local children, sponsoring sports camps, and cleaning up local mountain trails. Farther from campus, students build on 35 years of cooperation with Mexican churches painting schools, erecting churches, and leading Vacation Bible schools in neighborhoods throughout Mexicali and Ensenada. Through Focus International, students serve in India, Kenya, Thailand, and other ministry sites around the globe.
- Center for Academic Service Learning and Research
The Center for Academic Service Learning and Research supports programs that provide a vital link between the classroom and the community. Notable programs include the C.H.A.M.P. (College Headed and Mighty Proud) program and a collaboration with NavPress Publications in the production of devotionals for youth (7 Minutes with God, 7 Minutes with Jesus, and 7 Minutes with the Holy Spirit).
The center serves as a bridge between academics and the community, working to organize programs that can be integrated into course curriculum. Service learning courses are offered in an average of 45 to 50 classes per semester in disciplines from education to social work and biochemistry.
[edit] Diversity
In 2007, APU was recognized by Diverse Issues in Higher Education as one of the nation’s top schools in awarding degrees to minority students. The university ranked among the top 100 in 13 categories, including 6th for awarding Hispanic master's degrees in the education category, and 60th for total minority master's degrees awarded across all disciplines, up from 10th and 81st in 2006. [4] More than 70 countries and all fifty states are represented in the student population.
The Office of Multi-Ethnic Programs provides support and sponsors activities that increase awareness and appreciation for ethnic diversity. APU also has an International Center to assist international scholars with admissions, immigration, and cultural understanding, and also promotes community through programs and activities including the American International Mentoring Program, International Chapel, Global Fest, and the International Student Association.
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[edit] Global engagement
APU students are offered, through several campus offices, a variety of missions and global awareness opportunities for students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Focus International creates opportunities for sending 185 students to serve in 20 countries, including India, Kenya, Thailand, and more. Through the Center for Global Learning and Engagement, students may choose from more than 40 study abroad opportunities, including programs in Oxford, China, Lithuania, Italy, and Australia.
APU’s new South Africa campus program, based in Kwazulu-Natal Province, provides more than 30 students each semester with an opportunity to learn about the rich culture and society of South Africa, receive theoretical and practical training on community building and inter-cultural ministry, conduct service and research projects in local communities, and develop relationships with South African students, academics, and community members.
[edit] Notable alumni
| Name | Class year | Notability | Reference |
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| Dan Barker | 1975 BA in Religion |
Minister turned atheist author/speaker | [2] |
| Doug Barnett | 1982 | NFL player | |
| Jean-Robert Bellande | B.S. in Marketing |
Poker player; contestant on Survivor: China | [3] |
| James Brulte | 1979 | California Republican politician | |
| Bryan Clay | 2002 | Olympic decathlete | |
| Kevin Daley | Harlem Globetrotter | [4] | |
| Innocent Egbunike | 1986 | Olympic runner | |
| Davidson Ezinwa | 1994 | Olympic runner | |
| Osmond Ezinwa | 1994 | Olympic runner | |
| Jack W. Hayford | 1970 | Founder, The Church on the Way | |
| David A. Johnson | 1986 and 2003 M.A. Ed.: Special Education |
Olympic decathlete | |
| John C. Maxwell | 1989 M.Div. |
Leadership coach and writer | |
| John F. MacArthur, Jr. | 1961 | Pastor of Grace Community Church | |
| Austin O’Brien | 2004 | Actor | [5] |
| Christian Okoye | 1987 | NFL player | |
| Regina Zernay | 1993 | bass player in Cowboy Mouth |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official website for Azusa Pacific University
- Official APU athletics website
- APU News and Events Information
- Office of Undergraduate Admissions, APU
- Office of Graduate Admissions, APU
- Center for Adult and Professional Studies, APU
- Official website for the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
- Official website for the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC)
- Official website for the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Fulbright Program
- Official website for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
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