Everyone hopes to find a friend who will laugh with you in moments of joy, comfort you in times of confusion, and engage in adventures, rich conversations, and shared discoveries about the nuances of life. Caroline Masson ’24 is that friend to a plethora of people whose lives she’s touched at Azusa Pacific University. As a public relations (PR) major and honors humanities minor, the experiences she’s dove into and connections she’s made have helped her learn about her aspirations. Empowering others, valuing storytelling, and creating an uplifting culture is at the heart of what she hopes to accomplish.
Born and raised in Mandeville, La., Masson carries immense gratitude for having grown up in a place surrounded by love and support from her family, church community, and friends. From riding bikes through the woods, to admiring beautiful oak trees lining the streets, Masson loves that Louisiana is the place she calls home. She always dreamed of exploring more, however, and wanted to see the world outside of the space she’d known her whole life.
After her older sister moved to Southern California, Masson envisioned going to college near Los Angeles. In search of a Christian university in the area, she discovered APU. “One of the first people I spoke to at APU was an admissions representative, and it was the first time I talked to someone at any university who genuinely cared about what’s best for me,” she said.
Masson was thrilled to have the opportunity to prove to herself that she could move across the country and experience success. “The biggest lesson I learned freshman year was that I had to figure out who I was without the people who had known me my whole life,” she said. “I relearned my identity in a new location, and also began to understand Jesus’ role as he meets me in a different place.” Looking back at a transitional season of life, filled with all the excitement of a newfound freedom, Masson realized how universal it is to feel isolated while adjusting to college. She recalls walks with her roommate and best friend, Sadie Wilber ’25, where they bonded over mutual feelings of confusion as they navigated the first steps of adulthood. “If I had stayed in Mandeville my whole life, I would’ve kept placing my hope in some potential future, but because I moved, I had to snap into reality and realize that moving to California wouldn’t fix all my problems.”
Her passions for widening people’s perspectives and hearing each person’s unique story led Masson to discover PR was an excellent fit for her future goals. “I had a podcast in high school, and it was so creatively fulfilling to have meaningful conversations with people because I’m obsessed with language and emotions and helping people feel confident in order to reach their full potential.” Masson’s professors, Ismael Lopez Medel, PhD and Courtney W. Davis, PhD have played a significant role in mentoring her and leading her to pursue PR.
Serving as a leader in various capacities has strengthened Masson’s abilities to apply what she’s learned in her PR classes to make a difference on campus. During her freshman year she started working as a chapel attendant. Her boss, Fritzie Umana, made a positive impact in Masson’s development as a leader. By her junior year she was asked to fill the lead role for the team. “I became even more passionate about leading teams, because I had the opportunity to work with different personalities and let each individual know how vital they are to our success,” she said. With a warm smile and welcoming heart, she sets an example of what it means to invite students into a space for spiritual growth.
Drawing upon her experiences with team building, Masson is especially passionate about viewing systems with the body of Christ in mind, which she explored in her capstone project. “Every member of a team has a significant role to play, and if they don’t feel welcome to contribute what they bring to the table, we’re missing out on a quality that will further our success,” she said.
Masson knows firsthand that embodying your role as a part of the body of Christ often takes a lot of bravery, but it’s always worth it. When she landed a job at a digital marketing agency as a content creator, she was humbled to realize how hard the task was. While she kept working toward improving her social media skills, Masson realized where her strengths would serve a better purpose. “I was in an organizational communications class at the time, and I started noticing areas of improvement that I felt the company should know,” she said. “I created a presentation inspired by what I was learning in the class and the company loved it. They invited me to work on the administrative side, which I’ve been doing for the past month, and they offered me a full time position when I graduate.”
Reflecting on her college experience evokes bittersweet emotions for Masson. “I’m so not ready to leave. I love this place and am grateful for the many ways I’ve been able to get involved on campus.”
One of the most influential aspects of her APU experience includes her time in the Honors College. “Nearly everything I learned freshman year came from the conversations we had in colloquy. It unlocked a new level of awareness, and I was given the space to ask big questions,” she said. “Without that, I wouldn’t have gotten to a place where I know myself better, as well as my faith and values.”
Masson never runs out of things to say about her passions. She’s the kind of rare friend you meet who puts the thoughts you don’t understand into words. In all she does, she’s a reminder that sharing stories and hearing others’ is a crucial part of creating meaningful experiences.