Azusa Pacific University is not only a place for scholarship and career preparation. For many students, it is a place where they can deepen their faith alongside a strong community of believers who each bring unique backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas to conversations about faith. For Ben Doerksen ’27, an honors humanities and cinematic arts double major, APU has given him opportunities to explore and strengthen his faith by engaging in community and saying yes to new opportunities.
Doerksen always enjoyed watching movies, and his love for film only grew during his four years of film classes in high school where he was able to learn about many aspects of the film-making process. After attending APU’s Night at the ZU and touring campus, Doerksen applied to APU and earned a full-tuition Trustee’s Scholarship from the School of the Arts, making it possible for him to study film at a Christian university conveniently located near Hollywood, the primary hub of the film industry.
During his time in APU’s cinematic arts program, Doerksen has enjoyed learning more
about the craft and gaining valuable experience. Using what he learned in his classes,
Doerksen and his friends made a film on their own time and showcased it on campus
last semester. The film, Chasing Dust, was written and co-directed by Doerksen with help from his friends in the program
and other APU students. “We couldn’t have made that movie without all the people on
campus who helped us,” he said.
Being in the honors humanities program helped Doerksen see his love for film as a multifaceted passion not only for entertainment but also for addressing deep philosophical and theological ideas. “Students in honors come from a diverse set of majors, so I got the advantage of being able to make friends with people in different disciplines I wouldn’t typically interact with,” he said. “In class, I’ve learned about topics I didn’t even know I would be interested in. Now, I talk about the humanities with my friends and family all the time.” Honors has complemented Doerksen’s cinematic arts major by giving him opportunities to engage with films from various moral and ethical standpoints, changing his perception of film into a form of media that starts a conversation with the audience. “Whether you’re watching Les Misérables or The Lego Movie, there’s some kind of moral stance being taken, and looking at philosophy, humanities, and theology to see different perspectives from so many authors makes me hyper-aware of the message I’m trying to tell with my stories,” he said. “It’s helped my writing and how I understand characters.”
Outside of class, Doerksen continues to deepen his relationships with others and strengthen the community by being involved in extracurricular activities. During his time at APU, Doerksen has worked as a visual media creator for the Honors College, as a discipleship group leader, as the director of communications for the Student Government Association, with the Division of University Advancement, and helped launch Crossroads Magazine by being a re-founding member of ZU Media.
While all of his extracurricular experiences have shaped Doerksen’s college experience, the most transformative aspect of the past three years has been his faith journey. From learning about early church history to reading books on different theological ideas, Doerksen made his faith a part of his everyday life. “I’ve met people from so many denominations and faith traditions while at APU, and that’s positively impacted my personal relationship with Christ,” he said. “Being at APU is great because it’s an environment where you can experience what it’s like to worship and learn about faith in community at any time, not just in church or during chapel.”
Doerksen took a step in his faith when he served on the Utah Global Engagement (GE) team in his sophomore year. The annual trip allows APU students to have interfaith
dialogue with members of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. In his junior year,
Doerksen returned on the trip as a co-lead. Over the summer, he served in Italy on
another GE trip where he shared the Gospel and spread Christ’s love with refugees
in Rome.
As Doerksen enters his senior year, he’s not sure what his life will look like professionally after graduation, but he feels prepared for any door God opens for him. “This year, I’m going to explore what it looks like to be committed to the APU community and also put time and effort into considering what comes next,” he said. “I’m looking for what opportunities God will present because APU has opened so many doors that I didn’t even know would be available to me when I started college.” Doerksen’s dream is to be a director, although he knows it will likely take time to work his way up in the film industry. “I came into college with the intention of getting a film degree, and through honors and the experiences I’ve had at APU, I’m walking away with a lot more than that,” he said. “Even if the film industry isn't where God leads me, I know I’m equipped to succeed because of my time at APU.”