APU Articles
Student Spotlight: TyLee Manuel ’24 Builds Community Through Basketball
April 11, 2024 | Business
TyLee Manuel ’24 is a full time student athlete on the women's basketball team. She has learned the importance of community through her teammates. “APU has shown me how to be grateful through the people that I’ve met and the relationships I’ve created,” she said.
Alumni Feature: Gina Burnett MSW’22 Fulfills Her Mission Through Counseling Veterans
April 08, 2024 | Alumni, Military Education
Efigenia (Gina) Ferrer Burnett’s, MSW ’22, family did not believe her when she came home from school one day and announced she was going to join the U.S. Army. Burnett was in high school, and aspired to become a police officer. While connecting with a cop through a school elective, the officer shared that law enforcement employers love hiring veterans. The seed was planted, and Burnett was committed to pursuing her goals. Little did she know how different the trajectory of her life would be through serving in the army.
Faculty Feature: William “Jody” Wilkinson Finds Beauty in the Unexpected
April 05, 2024 | Behavioral Sciences, Health Sciences
Many meet God through worship settings, church, and engaging in discussions with believers. William “Jody” Wilkinson, MD, MS, encountered God in a personal and transformative way for the first time on a bike ride, leading him to pursue a career in exercise and fitness as a doctor in preventive medicine, who now taps into his passion for student development as a kinesiology professor.
Student Spotlight: Arianna Sy ’25 Bridges Creativity and Christianity as an Actress
April 04, 2024 | Arts, Behavioral Sciences
Ariana Sy ’25, an Acting for the Stage and Screen major and psychology minor, has found ways to pursue her creativity with Azusa Pacific University's God First motto in mind.
Alumni Feature: Issy Diaz ’20, MSW’22 Creates a Lasting Ripple Effect in Veterans’ Lives
March 21, 2024 | Alumni, Behavioral Sciences, Military Education
Ismary (Issy) Diaz ’20, MSW ’22, has always approached service with an outpouring of compassion like a waterfall’s abundance. Through her 14 years of military work, earning two degrees in social work at Azusa Pacific University, and now counseling veterans, Diaz’s refreshing spirit flows into countless lives, creating a lasting ripple effect.
Josh Holm ’15: Creating a Positive Impact Through Castles & Queens
March 20, 2024 | Arts, Theology
On a chilly Saturday night in February 2023, Josh Holm, ’15, stood to the side of a runway in Milan, watching models show off apparel he had designed for his label Castles & Queens as cameras flashed and the crowd applauded in one of the four fashion capitals of the world. It was one of the biggest moments of Holm’s life, but just a few years ago, it seemed impossible—a dream that might never come true.
International Voices: Grace Arrington ’26 Finds Community and Faith Through Uplifting Connections at APU
March 19, 2024 | Communication, International
Grace Arrington ’26 exudes a passion for legacy. As the daughter of an Azusa Pacific University alumnus, Arrington strives to pave her own path through her college experience, embrace her Chinese heritage, and continue to grow in her faith.
Faculty Feature: Bobbi Alba Lets Her Light Shine as She Encourages Students’ Callings
March 15, 2024 | Education
Bobbi Alba, EdD, encourages her students to go out into the world to be lighthouses, guiding others to safety. Throughout her own career as an elementary and middle school teacher, counselor, and professor, Alba’s light has shined brightly. Her commitment to unconditional love illuminates in all she does.
Alyssa Hetschel ’13 Serves Others Through Social Work
March 14, 2024 | Behavioral Sciences
Alyssa Hetschel ’13 discovered her passion for social work during her time at Azusa Pacific University which has allowed her to serve through her management and leadership skills. “Service is the name of the game for social work. I’m constantly serving my clients and community,” Hetschel said. “It’s embedded in me. Service is what appealed to me about APU.” She believes that social work is “very human work” that requires a passion for service and constant discipleship through mentorship.
International Voices: Sid Varland ’25 Radiates Ambition, Optimism, and Love for Others
March 13, 2024 | Arts, International
Few enter college with a firm grasp of their calling, but for Sid Varland ’25, being able to hone his skills as a track and field athlete and a cinematic arts major made him certain that Azusa Pacific University was where he is meant to be. His ambition, optimism, and love for others radiates in every one of his projects and adventures.
Global Engagement Series: APU Students Share Their Experience Serving in Maui
March 06, 2024 | Theology
Lucy Boles ’25, Sage Griffing ’25, and Cassia Arnold ’25 felt called to serve in Maui with 16 other Azusa Pacific University students for six days over winter break. The Maui Global Engagement trip aimed to provide for communities impacted by devastating fires that took place just months before the trip. The largest and most destructive was the Lahaina fire that occurred last August.
Global Engagement Series: Fatima Pulido and Jonathon Krohn’s Experience in Ensenada
March 04, 2024 | Theology
Fatima Pulido, ’24, and Jonathon Krohn, ’26, felt called to serve in Ensenada, Mexico, along with 45 other Azusa Pacific University students, across five days over their Thanksgiving break.
Christina Mansour ’07: Serving Students as an Educational Counselor
February 29, 2024 | Alumni, Education
After 16 years teaching high school math, Christina Mansour '07 became an educational counselor. She loves serving students, helping them plan classes & begin thinking about life after graduation, & caring for their needs through a wellness center.
Faculty Feature: Friary Nguyen’s Outpouring of Love Through Her Faith and Vocation as a Nurse
February 23, 2024 | Nursing
Friary Nguyen, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE loves spending time in the control room when nursing students are in simulation labs. She watches students on screen as they practice nursing techniques on life-size mannequins, and Nguyen gets in character, speaking through her headphones when controlling the human-like patients. As a certified healthcare simulations educator (CHSE), she enjoys pursuing her calling for loving others through nursing, and teaching students to approach healthcare with a heart for servant leadership.
