Azusa Pacific University

Yesterday, APU's Institute for Faith, Leadership, and Service (IFLS) hosted a celebratory luncheon honoring 20 participants in the Compelling Preaching Cohorts, a 9-month hybrid program designed to help pastors and preachers grow and be encouraged in their preaching within affinity cohorts.

Special thanks to Andrew Harootian, MDiv, Pastor Sean Fenner, Leah Reed, PhD, and Rev. Kathy Cannon for outstanding leadership and commitment to this impactful program.

Did you know that APU’s Community Counseling Center (CCC) provides affordable mental health support to the Azusa community? For MFT and PsyD students like Gregory Sanchez ’29, working at the CCC equips them through hands-on experience, preparing them for future careers in clinical psychology.

“My time at the Azusa Pacific Community Counseling Center has been instrumental in developing my skills as a future clinical psychologist,” Gregory said.

Read more about the CCC: https://bit.ly/4vlVeyO.

After witnessing the profound need for mental health support while growing up in Haiti, Isabelle Larsen ’27 felt a deep calling to dedicate her life to filling that gap. Now a clinical psychology (PsyD) student at APU, she is beautifully blending her faith with research and clinical training to advocate for global mental health and bring sustainable, culturally responsive healing back to her home country.

“Being an international student gave me a richness of experience and a different perspective,” Isabelle said. “It has allowed me to have more empathy and compassion for the people around me and for my clients.”

Read Isabelle’s story: https://bit.ly/3QhUqw3

At APU, studying business goes beyond corporate profit margins; it is deeply people-focused, teaching students how to lead and serve others in any working environment. Through everyday mentorship with professors who have decades of real-world experience, students develop the relationships, curiosity, and adaptable skills they need to transform their future careers into a meaningful calling.

“Our hope as faculty and staff is to not just give people a fixed set of skills, but to give them the ability to adapt, to be curious, and to lean into an attitude of humility,” said Todd Pheifer, EdD, assistant dean and associate professor. “We have amazing faculty who are brilliant, dedicated, and passionate about their field. They are consistently studying the marketplace and working their network, but at the end of the day, love to work with the students and see them grow.”

Read more: https://bit.ly/4dKA71V

APU is launching a new Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies this fall, offering an integrated approach that comprehensively prepares students for seminary, vocational ministry, and wide range of professional pathways. With a streamlined curriculum, this versatile program empowers students to easily double major and tailor their education to their unique calling.

"The new program encourages students to think broadly and creatively about Christian ministry beyond traditional forms," said Eunny Lee, PhD, associate dean of the School of Theology. "Students will be able to take the robust theological education in this program and adapt it for various forms of leadership and service, in whichever career path they choose."

Read more: https://bit.ly/3RMqaKd

We loved welcoming our incoming students to campus for the first APU Bound Orientation!