The Commuter Life Assistant Program matches incoming freshman and transfer commuter
students with a commuter life assistant (CLA) student leader who provides guidance
and support to commuters while creating opportunities for commuters to meet each other
and learn about APU resources and services. The primary goal of a CLA is to help commuter
students adjust to life as APU students, and engage them with academic and personal
development opportunities. CLAs also serve the broader Azusa Pacific community by
working shifts in the Student Union as resources for information and ticketing services,
as well as managing the services provided specifically to commuter students. The position
is available to all students, not just commuter students. The following list describes
the expectations and requirements of the position:
Time commitment: 12+ hours a week
Maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA
Adhere to the Student Leadership Covenant
On-/off-campus employment/volunteer work kept to a maximum of 15 hours a week
Sample Time Commitment Per Week
Student Union Desk Hours in Cougar Dome
8-12 hours
Staff Meeting with CLA Staff
1 hour
Meeting with the Director of Commuter Life
1 hour every other week
Programming and Event Planning
1-2 hours
Weekend shift once per month
0-12 hours
Total hours
11-28 hours per week
Application
Are you thinking about becoming a commuter life assistant next year? Apply on Handshake
(create your account; you may also access Handshake through the main menu onhome.apu.edu: UG Enrollment Services Center > My Financial Account > Handshake Job Platform).
Matt Browning, EdD, has been at APU, off and on, for nearly 30 years. Matt is passionate
about whole person development for college students. Matt has created programs and
learning opportunities in over 70 countries around the world and is committed to celebrating
diversity, equity, and inclusion in all forms. He is especially proud to work with
the commuter students of APU. He has great respect for the extra effort commuters
exert to succeed in college. Matt lives in, and rides his motorcycle around, Pomona.
He is proud of his strong, God-fearing, and grown daughters Emily and Mary as well
as his granddaughter Aria.
Zi has lived in Alhambra, Southern California for 10 years. He graduated from California
State University, Los Angeles with a BA in Social Work. He worked in the field of
higher education for about two years before joining the APU family and is currently
in his first year in the MS in College Counseling and Student Development program.
Zi cares about student engagement on campus. He is willing to share his experience
with commuter students, get through obstacles together, and address their needs. When
he has free time, he loves to explore the San Gabriel Valley area, hike in the nearby
mountains, and visit his coffee spot every Sunday.
Joshua is a senior majoring in chemistry and honors humanities. He loves science and
enjoys being in the Honors College to dive deep into the big questions of life. He
is the president of the pre-dental society on campus. He aspires to be an orthodontist
and would love to help people learn to love their smile. In Joshua’s free time, he
delights in playing sports and watching movies with friends. If you ever see him on
campus, feel free to say hi!
Heidi received her BA in Sociology from California State University, Los Angeles.
She is pursuing an MS in College Counseling and Student Development at APU. Heidi
is passionate about serving and equipping students for academic and personal success
in college. As a commuter student herself, she was drawn to the Office of Commuter
Life to help support programming and increase students’ sense of belonging on campus.
Over the past seven years, Heidi has had the opportunity to assist students in achieving
their post-secondary goals through her various roles in non-profit work and TRIO programs.
In her free time, she enjoys running, spending time with her dog, reading, and having
good conversations with friends over coffee.
Matt is a junior year majoring in business management because he is passionate about
people, team building, and leadership. He is from Tucson, Arizona, and he lives on
campus. Matt loves to rock climb, play volleyball, and explore new places. He loves
learning about God and building community with that as its center. He also loves meeting
new people and would love to meet you.
Isaac is a sophomore and is majoring in Social Work. After college, he hopes to get
into the work field and make an impact in the world. Some of his favorite things are
laughing, working out, listening to music, making new friends, meeting new people,
being active, and making others smile and laugh. He also enjoys helping others.
Gabriel Dedrick-Jaurique is a first generation, multi-racial student. His Mother is
Mexican, Spaniard, and Native American, and his Dad is African American and Native
American. He always lived in the valley of California and came from a God-centered,
blended low-income family household. He transitioned to APU after graduating from
West Covina High School. He’s a psychology major and wants to pursue a master’s degree
in clinical counseling for at-risk children and adolescents or marriage and family
therapy. He is a commuter and lives in close proximity to the campus with his family.
He is passionate about serving God by helping and connecting with people, reminding
them they are cared for, heard, accepted, and relatable. He is an alpha leader that
takes pride in knowing his alpha freshmen students and creating a fun, accepting,
and safe social environment. He is also an active member of Men of Color group discussion
meetings held by the SCRD staff, where people of color can learn about the historical
lack of graduating men of color and institutional resources while also hearing testimonies
about successfully overcoming life challenges. He also spends time in worship and
fellowship. Outside of school leadership, he is a caregiver for elderly people experiencing
disabilities. He is an active youth leader at his church in Duarte, and he preaches,
creates events with other fellow youth leaders, sings on the youth worship team, and
participates on the media team for Sunday and special youth service nights. In his
free time, he enjoys dancing, exercising with his family, playing basketball, watching
Netflix documentaries about African American stories, Disney Plus, Hulu, movies, reading,
and journaling.
Joanna is an international student from Taiwan who majors in communication management
and minors in business management. This is her fourth year in the States, and she
lives with her sister in and commutes from Glendora. She is passionate about communicating
with different people, experiencing different cultures, and enjoying outdoor activities.
In Joanna’s free time, she enjoys watching movies, listening to music, spending time
with family, and spending quality time with friends. She likes boba tea, and she enjoys
any tea in general, especially rose tea with boba.
Victoria is a graduate student in the clinical psychology (PsyD) program. She was
born in Chongqing, China but was raised in San Jose, California. Victoria aspires
to be a clinical psychologist with a specialization in trauma treatment, providing
care to underserved populations. Back in May 2021, she graduated from APU with a bachelor’s
degree in psychology. She loves to travel and has studied abroad in South Africa.
In her free time, Victoria loves to go out for boba and take Latin dance classes.
For anyone who’s fascinated by personality types, she is a Type 2 on the Enneagram
and an ENFP on the Myer’s Briggs. If you ever need a friend to talk to, Victoria will
always be there to listen.
Citlaly is a local student from La Puente, California. She is a liberal studies major
and is also minoring in Spanish. Citlaly is a first-generation Mexican-American student.
One of her favorite things to do is eat Mexican food with her family. She is also
really passionate about education and loves seeing people grow. She loves going on
walks, listening to music, and watching crime documentaries (she hates scary movies
though). Citlaly loves meeting new people and making new friends, so if you ever see
her around, don’t hesitate to say hi!
Monica Marie Naka is a sophomore, majoring in liberal studies. She was born and raised
in Okinawa, Japan but moved to California to study abroad. Her future goal is to receive
her degree and become a teacher to little kindergarteners! She loves kids and she
would love to make an impact and a difference in their lives by instilling an early
love for learning in a fun, new, and creative way that can help them throughout their
lives. She loves the color dark-green, she can recite all of the words in the Fast
and Furious series, her favorite shows include All American, Grey’s Anatomy, and any
crime documentary. If she had to choose one meal to eat for the rest of her life,
it would be pasta. In her free time, she loves to discover new music, hang out with
friends, go to the gym, and meet new people! She hopes that she will be able to meet
and get to know all of you throughout the year. She is so excited to meet all of you
and hopes you are all able to stop by the dome! If any of you need someone to talk
to, she will be there for you!
Marissa Otero is a sophomore majoring in allied health. She is a commuter student
originally from La Verne, California. Her favorite color is pink, her favorite food
is spaghetti, and her favorite television shows are Saved by the Bell, That ‘70s Show,
and Gilmore Girls. Her future career is to become a registered nurse with the overall
goal of serving others’ needs and their families as a healthcare provider and spiritual
guide. In her free time, she enjoys listening to and playing music, spending time
with friends, family, and relaxing. Introduce yourself to her, whether with your name
or a preferred nickname. She would love to meet you!
Victor Rivera is a sophomore at APU and a commuter just like you. He comes from a
low-income hispanic family, yet with God’s blessing, he transitioned straight to college,
regardless of a long commute. He loves learning about the wonders of the human body
and would love to use this knowledge in the future to help those in physical and mental
need. He is a passionate clarinet player and does his best to be in his church’s choir,
though sometimes his singing voice sounds like a dying duck. He also recently started
working as a commuter life assistant to meet and help fellow commuters like him—so
if you see him behind the desk at the Cougar Dome or around campus, give him a shout-out
and a high five!
Yundi is an international student from mainland China who majors in commercial music:
vocal performance. She transferred from Citrus College and lives close to campus as
a commuter. She is passionate about performing music in different genres, connecting
with people, and participating in creative productions. She is also the coordinator
and an active member of the APU Huaren (Chinese) Fellowship, where culture and faith
are celebrated and practiced on campus. She also runs the APU international student
group chat. In Yundi’s free time, she enjoys singing, photography, gaming, and watching
anime and TV series. If you see her on campus, don’t forget to say hi!