La Verne Resident Renee Pozza Named Dean of APU’s Nationally Ranked School of Nursing

This news release was originally published on APU’s website.

Azusa Pacific University Provost Anita Fitzgerald Henck, PhD, named La Verne, CA resident Renee Pozza, PhD, RN, CNS, FNP-BC, FAASLD, dean of the School of Nursing (SON), effective October 1, 2023. Pozza, a nationally recognized researcher, clinician, educator, and leader in nursing education brings more than 25 years of higher education experience to the role with expertise in developing new programs and pathways for nursing professionals at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

“Dr. Pozza is a visionary collaborator and innovative educator deeply committed to her faith which provides her with the core values essential for academic leadership at APU,” Henck said. “Her investment in APU has shaped institutional policies and practices which has positioned the university as a local, national, and global leader in nursing education.”

As SON dean, Pozza oversees day-to-day operations and provides leadership to 14 programs, the Institute of Health Research, and Continuing Education on five campuses (Azusa, Monrovia, San Diego, High Desert, Inland Empire). Pozza will serve internal and external stakeholders, including being a liaison with APU’s clinical partners that support the SON in its mission of educating the next generation of nursing and public health professionals. She will also supervise accreditation efforts on both state and national levels. Pozza will manage relations with alumni across the nation and the world as the SON prepares for its 50th anniversary in 2025.

“To bring my passion for preparing exemplary nurses to this role at my alma mater is exciting,” Pozza said. “I completed three programs of study from APU, taught on our faculty, and served as associate dean for more than two decades. I understand the critical need for competent and compassionate nurses at the bedside, as nurse educators, and as health care leaders and scholars. And I can attest to the impact our nurses are making across the world. I look forward to advancing our forward-thinking, innovative approach that will bring health and wellness to generations of Californians and others around the country and across the globe.”

Pozza’s appointment follows serving as interim dean of the School of Nursing since July 2022. She previously served as senior associate dean of academic initiatives and innovation (2016-22), associate dean of academic affairs (2005-16), associate professor (2000-12), and adjunct faculty (1996-2000). Under her leadership, the SON implemented several new programs and pathways in nursing education (including RN to BSN, Entry Level Master’s, and BSN to DNP), built skills and simulation laboratories, incorporated faith integration and virtual simulation into the curriculum, initiated several academic-practice partnerships, and led teams for successful re-accreditation and re-approval visits with the CCNE and the BRN.

Pozza has served as the director of clinical research at the Liver Center for the Southern California Transplantation Institute Research Foundation since 2003. She maintains an active practice as a hepatology nurse practitioner at the Southern California GI and Liver Centers. Pozza has received numerous industry and academic awards throughout her career including the Author of the Year from The Nurse Practitioner Journal in 2020 and the Uncommon Citizen Award from APU in 2008. In 2015, she was inducted as a fellow into the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases for her research contributions to the field. She is only the second nurse in the U.S. to hold this designation. Pozza completed her PhD in Nursing from the University of California, San Francisco. She holds a Post Master’s Family Nurse Practitioner Certification, Master of Science in Nursing, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from APU.

APU’s nationally ranked School of Nursing prepares nurses to lead the way in health care and provide a deeper level of compassionate care in clinics, hospitals, schools, and beyond. APU’s School of Nursing offers programs for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral nursing degrees available online, on campus, and at our regional campuses across Southern California.

Karen Longman Receives Prestigious Fulbright Award

This news release was originally published on APU’s website.

Karen Longman, PhD, professor emerita in Azusa Pacific University’s Department of Higher Education, was recently recognized with a prestigious Fulbright award for the 2023-24 academic year.

In August, Longman will travel to Lithuania to teach at LCC International University (the only English-speaking Christian university in Eastern Europe) for the fall semester. The university enrolls more than 800 students who come from 65 countries, including about 200 students from Ukraine at the present time. Longman will join the faculty to instruct a course entitled “Principles for Leading in Turbulent Times.” She will also offer a leadership seminar series for university staff, a critical need according to Margarita Pavlovič, MEd, LCC vice president for student life. Longman will be available to host a multi-week book discussion group that will focus on the leader identity development process, in contrast to “leadership development” skills per se. The group will collaborate in reading the book Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader by Herminia Ibarra. Additionally, Longman plans to conduct a qualitative research project, drawing from the rich cultural diversity of the LCC community to gain deeper insights into the leader identity development process of women leaders on LCC’s campus, including how factors in their formative years and in response to the region's current crisis situation have impacted their leadership aspirations and experiences.

“APU has a strong history and an ongoing relationship with LCC International University. My hope is to add to that history by taking my knowledge base, teaching experience, and background in higher education to support the students and institutional leadership who are living in a challenging region of the world,” Longman said. “I feel very thankful for the support I have received from APU as I went through the competitive Fulbright application process, and I anticipate many win-win benefits from teaching and researching at LCC.”

Longman earned a PhD in Higher Education and an MA in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Michigan. She served for six years as the vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Greenville College (now University) and for 19 years as vice president for professional development and research at the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). Over the course of her career, Longman has authored numerous successful grant proposals totaling over $2.5 million, has co-edited a seven-volume book series in collaboration with the International Leadership Association, and has spent more than two decades overseeing the annual CCCU Leadership Development Institutes, which have served and equipped more than 600 emerging leaders across Christian higher education.

The Fulbright Program awards only 800 scholar grants per year to university faculty and administrators out of thousands of applicants in the U.S. APU boasts 72 Fulbright Awards offered to faculty, students, and alumni since 2002. Fulbright scholars play a critical role in U.S. public diplomacy with alumni including 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 78 MacArthur Fellows, and thousands of leaders and world-renowned experts in academia and many other fields across private, public, and non-profit sectors.

Since its inception in 1946, under legislation by the late Senator J. William Fulbright, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 400,000 people with the opportunity to observe others’ political, economic, educational, and cultural institutions, to exchange ideas, and to embark on international ventures of importance. The program operates in more than 150 countries worldwide.

APU Names Dr. Anita Fitzgerald Henck Provost

This news release was originally published on APU’s website.

Azusa Pacific University President Adam J. Morris, PhD, named Glendora, Calif., resident Anita Fitzgerald Henck, PhD, provost and chief academic officer at APU, effective July 1, 2023. Henck’s expertise lies in aligning programs/institutions with best academic practices; developing innovative curriculum and student service programs; building strong, healthy teams; and leading turnaround assignments in administrative areas. Her experiences and responsibilities at Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA), Eastern Nazarene College (Quincy, MA), and American University (Washington, DC) have included assignments as dean, department chair, program director, faculty member, vice president, board/press liaison, policy and speech writer, ombudsperson, and assistant to the president and provost. She becomes the university’s fifth provost following a 10-month nationwide search guided by a 12-member Provost Search Advisory Committee.

“God’s timing is perfect and I’m praising Him for the appointment of Dr. Anita Henck as our new provost,” said Morris. “Dr. Henck has a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus Christ and an unmistakable call on her life to serve in Christian higher education. Her genuine love for our students and our community, heart for faculty, collaborative spirit, ability to innovate, aptitude for organizational change, and skill in shaping institutional culture, coupled with her outstanding research, writing, and teaching, and strong commitment to the mission of APU are among the many reasons why I invited Dr. Henck into this important role. The coming years will be critical as we work together to position APU for a healthy and thriving future and I am incredibly grateful and excited to have Dr. Henck join the senior leadership team.”

As the Chief Academic Officer of APU, Henck will lead and advocate for APU’s academic mission, overseeing all schools, colleges, and libraries. Reporting to the president and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, Henck will provide strategic leadership and oversight of academics and broad university initiatives.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected to serve as APU’s fifth provost and to partner with faculty and academic leadership to enrich APU’s academic identity. The transformative power of education–for individuals, families, and communities–is a compelling call in which I have invested my professional life,” said Henck. “Across Azusa Pacific University’s 124-year history, our reputation has been well established through our academic programs and external partnerships across Southern California and beyond. With a renewed focus on innovation and agility, APU’s academic future could not be brighter and our mission could not be more clear. I am convinced that our best days are ahead and am honored to partner with President Morris and members of his cabinet as we position APU to flourish in a time of change across all of American higher education.”

Henck assumes this role after serving as dean of APU’s School of Education since 2011, where she provided turnaround leadership during major transition, improved enrollment, enhanced fiscal health, led a team that reshaped the curricular portfolio, redesigned the EdD in Educational Leadership program with a 96 percent completion rate, and launched the Next Generation Superintendent’s professional development group. Today, APU is a leader in preparing candidates for educator credentials in the state of California. Henck came to APU in 2006 as an associate professor in the Department of Doctoral Higher Education. She later served as the interim program director for the MS in College Counseling and Student Development from 2008-09, and the program director for the MA in Leadership and the chair of the Department of Leadership and College Student Development from 2009-11. Previously, Henck served as the vice president for student development and retention at Eastern Nazarene College.

“After a rigorous search process, I am excited that Dr. Henck has accepted Dr. Morris’ offer to be APU’s next provost,” said Samuel M. Girguis, PsyD, committee chair. “Guiding our Christ-centered academy requires clear leadership acumen, passion for the power of education to transform lives, and wisdom to traverse a complex and nuanced role. Dr. Henck possesses keen insight, extensive experience, and solid team-building skills to move Azusa Pacific's academy into this exciting new chapter of innovation and influence. I am grateful to Dr. Morris, the Provost Advisory Search Committee, and the APU community for their prayerful discernment leading to this significant announcement.”

Henck has served APU and faith-based higher education on the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities Executive Committee of Schools of Education deans; and the Doctoral Education Council for the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, focused on elevating support for and academic quality of doctoral programs. To foster collaboration, connection, and innovation among California’s K-12 leaders, she developed the APU School of Education Superintendents’ Collaborative, bringing district school superintendents to campus as thought partners to consider pressing issues, promote professional growth and development, and fuel persistence among new leaders.

Henck earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Indiana University, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Education from American University. She completed Harvard School of Law’s senior executive training on negotiation.

Henck is a lifelong member of the Church of the Nazarene, serving on church boards and denominational commissions. Henck and her husband, Bill, have two adult children, both of whom hold doctorates and work in education, a son-in-law, and two grandsons.

APU Launches Dual-Enrollment Classes at Whittier Christian High School

This news release was originally published on APU’s website.

On Wednesday, April 26, Azusa Pacific University will officially launch a partnership with Whittier Christian High School (WCHS) to offer dual-enrollment classes beginning in fall 2023. These courses will give WCHS students credit for both high school and college courses simultaneously. WCHS students will be able to take: Personal Finance, Business Communications, Principles of Management, and Business and Entrepreneurship.

While many high schools across the country offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which offer college credit through AP tests, many colleges do not accept AP courses for college credit. Even if they do accept AP, most colleges require a score of four or five on AP tests, which is particularly challenging to achieve for students. “Are AP tests the best method for assessing student mastery of content and learning outcomes? Not always,” said Michael White, MA, vice president of Enrollment Management. “Some students are incredibly smart but just aren’t good test takers. Dual-enrollment courses are a better method to test course material knowledge and are better at preparing students for collegiate courses.”

A huge benefit of dual-enrollment classes is that students can save thousands of dollars compared to what they would spend on the same classes in college. While the course material is entirely the same and the instructors have been vetted and approved by APU faculty, the classes cost a fraction of what they would in college. “Whittier students are only paying $75 per UNIT . If they take all four classes by the time they graduate from high school, they could enter college with almost a semester's worth of credit under their belt and would have saved several thousands of dollars” said Roxanne Helm-Stevens, dean of the School of Business and Management.

Both WCHS Head of School, Carl Martinez ’95, MBA ’03 and College Advisement Director, Joel Nunnally ’02, MAEd ’05 are APU alumni who majored in business during their undergraduate studies. “WCHS is thrilled at the opportunities APU is affording to our students. These are the same courses we completed at APU and to think our students can enjoy these courses in high school is a huge advantage and blessing,” Martinez said. “We expect to have full enrollment in all dual enrollment offerings. WCHS is very grateful for APU and our partnership together helping students explore, discover, and pursue their life calling.”

Dual enrollment courses are open to WCHS sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a 3.0 or higher GPA. “We’re excited to get these students familiar with a college curriculum. These courses will get them more comfortable with a syllabus, managing assignments, and give them the tools and confidence they need to succeed in college,” said Tina Sprague, enrollment partnerships manager. APU plans to expand dual enrollment offerings to two other schools by the end of 2023 and expects to continue adding school partners in the future.

APU Receives $5 Million Lilly Endowment Grant in Partnership with LPU and LABI

This news release was originally published on APU’s website.

As part of the Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, Azusa Pacific University received a $4,999,904 grant to fund a partnership with Life Pacific University (LPU) and the Latin American Bible Institute (LABI) that will strengthen pathways for theological education for Hispanic students. “This grant from the Lilly Endowment is a huge blessing. Our partnership with LPU and LABI will help us advance and elevate Hispanic theological education in Southern California and around the country,” said Bobby Duke, PhD, interim associate provost and principal investigator of the grant.

Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is a three-phase initiative designed to help theological schools strengthen and sustain their capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian churches. In the first phase of the initiative, 234 theological schools in the U.S. and Canada, including APU, received funding ranging from $38,676 to $50,000 for planning and assessment purposes. In the second phase, Lilly Endowment made 105 grants between $500,000 and $1 million to implement programs. In the third phase, Lilly Endowment made 16 grants, ranging from $4,999,792 to $7,950,555 to support large scale collaborative programs involving multiple theological schools, congregations, denominations, and other organizations. APU was awarded alongside other prestigious institutions, including the University of Notre Dame and Emory University.

The grant seeks to make attaining a ministry degree in Spanish more affordable and accessible for Hispanic students. All three schools—APU, LPU, and LABI—are Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). To receive HSI status, an institution must have Hispanic students represent at least 25 percent of its undergraduate student body. There are only 559 HSI’s across the nation. “There are fewer universities that truly cater to first generation Hispanic students. We do that and have been serving Hispanic students since we opened in 1926,” said Marty Harris, PhD, president of LABI. “Our partnership with APU and LPU enables us to create pathways for our students to receive an associate’s and bachelor’s degree fully in Spanish. It also makes it much easier and more affordable for them to continue pursuing a Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS), or Doctor of Ministry (DMin) at Azusa Pacific Seminary. This is a trailblazing opportunity.”

The partnership between APU, LPU, and LABI will help develop a shared curriculum designed fully in Spanish, not translated from English. An integral component is providing cultural context in the curriculum. “Contextualizing is so important because Hispanic church leadership in the U.S. is very different than in Latin America, Europe, or other areas,” said Daniel Ruarte, EdD, vice president of academic affairs at LPU. “There’s a strong desire among Hispanic students to learn and grow theologically. There just haven’t been programs that have gone about it in the right way, until now.”

APU became one of the first universities in the country to offer graduate degrees for Hispanic ministry leaders when it started its MDiv, MAPS, and DMin programs in Spanish. The program has grown rapidly in recent years, with more than 100 students currently enrolled. “In my 30 years at APU, we’ve grown to offer a truly multicultural, multilingual theological education,” said Enrique Zone, EdD, director of Hispanic Programs and founder of the Centro Teológico Hispano at APU. “All professors in the program were born in Latin America, whether South America, Central America, or Mexico. They live in the U.S., but have a background in Spanish culture. I’m grateful for this grant and how it will allow us to expand our program to reach more Hispanic students who will in turn have a greater impact in their churches.”

A unique aspect of this partnership stems from the cross-denomination collaboration. APU’s theology is centered on a Wesleyan Holiness tradition, LPU is sponsored by the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, and LABI is an Assemblies of God institution. The shared curriculum and resources will prepare students to make a difference in a variety of churches and denominations and although all three schools are located in the San Gabriel Valley, the impact will extend far beyond Southern California. “We’re going to make attaining a Hispanic theological education more accessible than ever before by offering online courses so students across the country, and potentially across the world, can benefit from this partnership,” said Matthew Elofson, PhD, acting dean of the School of Theology (SOT).

The grant will be divided in a 30/30/40 split with APU getting the largest share. John Ragsdale, former SOT dean, led the team in developing the proposal and will continue to serve as a consultant for accreditation and other matters. A focus of the grant is to include dedicated funds for coaching. “A big critique of theological education is that schools don’t prepare pastors for the stresses that come with the job. By offering coaching to these students, they'll have someone to come alongside them, mentor them, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and prepare them to make a difference through their ministry,” Ragsdale said. “This grant and partnership are going to transform theological education in Southern California and beyond.”

Azusa Pacific Seminary provides advanced preparation for practical, effective ministry in the Church and in the world. Whether pursuing work in ministry, leadership, teaching, or community engagement, students benefit from a supportive and vibrant community dedicated to transforming the world with Christ.

APU Receives $1.25 Million Lilly Endowment Compelling Preaching Grant

This news release was originally published on APU’s website.

As part of the Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative, Azusa Pacific University recently received a $1,249,837 grant to support the Formation of the Preacher for More Effective and Engaging Preaching project. This initiative, which will be implemented by APU’s Center for Vocational Ministry (CVM) in collaboration with the School of Theology, will be funded by the grant from January 2024 through December 2028.

“Through this work, we will help aspiring and current preachers to define their personal theology of preaching, while also learning alongside other preachers,” said Jenn Graffius, DMin, executive director of CVM. “Compelling preaching is more than just “good” preaching. It is the transformational, instructive, hope-building, action-inducing, community-centered delivery of the good news. This robust theology of preaching will impact the preachers, and have a transformative impact on churches and communities." Instructed by renowned pastors and preaching scholars, the Formation of the Preacher project offers a continuing education certificate in transformational preaching. This comprehensive program encompasses all levels of the formational process of a preacher and is open to pastors at all stages of their career (including undergraduate and graduate ministry students). Designed to provide a means for the academy and the church to collaborate, this program will provide pastors and ministry leaders with robust mentoring training, peer-to-peer mentoring, preaching conferences, coaching, and lectures from renowned pastors. Special focus will be given to women in ministry, pastors of color, and those serving in solo pastor congregations.

"In 1899, Azusa Pacific University was founded as the Training School for Christian Workers, and today APU continues to train Christian workers to become agents of change in the world for the cause of Christ, “ said Azusa Pacific University President Adam J. Morris, PhD. “Through the Compelling Preaching Initiative, we pray that pastors will grow in their theology of preaching and be transformed while learning alongside others in community, for the sake of the Kingdom and the church."

APU is one of 81 organizations receiving grants through this competitive round of the Compelling Preaching Initiative. Reflecting the diversity of Christianity in the United States, the organizations are affiliated with mainline Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox, Anabaptist and Pentecostal faith communities. Many of the organizations are rooted in the Black Church and in Hispanic and Asian American Christian traditions.

“Throughout history, preachers often have needed to adapt their preaching practices to engage new generations of hearers more effectively,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “We are pleased that the organizations receiving grants in this initiative will help pastors and others in ministry engage in the kinds of preaching needed today to ensure that the gospel message is heard and accessible for all audiences.”

The Lilly Endowment launched the Compelling Preaching Initiative in 2022 because of its interest in supporting projects that help to nurture the religious lives of individuals and families and foster the growth and vitality of Christian congregations in the U.S.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe.

News Release: SBM Reaffirmed for IACBE Accreditation for 7 Years

This news release was originally published on APU’s website.

Azusa Pacific University’s highly ranked School of Business and Management (SBM) has received reaffirmation for accreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

“Receiving IACBE accreditation provides great assurance to our students that we continually pursue excellence and self evaluation,” said Todd Pheifer, EdD, associate dean and director of accreditation, assessment, and grants in the SBM. “We received the maximum length of accreditation—seven years—which is confirmation of not only the exceptional work we’ve been doing, but also where we’re going.”

IACBE accreditation is mission-driven and outcomes-based. It involves an independent, external evaluation of the business programs offered by an institution’s academic business unit. The effectiveness of the program is evaluated based on nine principles: commitment to integrity, responsibility, and ethical behavior; quality assurance and advancement; strategic planning; business curricula and learning opportunities; business faculty characteristics, activities, and processes; policies, procedures, and processes; external relationships; and innovation in business education.

“We received the gold standard level of accreditation. When IACBE conducted interviews with employers who have hired our graduates, they received stellar reviews about our programs, commending our innovation and creativity,” said Roxanne Helm-Stevens, DBA, interim dean of the SBM. “Our students benefit from our phenomenal faculty team. They’re so dedicated to our mission. They go out of their way to connect with, help, mentor, and pour into our students.”

Graduates from the SBM are currently working in high-level positions at top global companies including all of the “Big Four” accounting firms, Google, NASA, JPL, UPS, Travelers, Target, Kaiser, IEHP, TikTok, and the IRS, among many others. Graduates have also gone on to start their own successful companies.

“Our programs are on the cutting edge of business schools. We’re always looking for ways to innovate to provide more value for our students,” Helm-Stevens said. “We embed credentials and microcredentials in classes along the way, such as Excel, Google Digital Garage, and Hootsuite so students can set themselves apart for internships and jobs. When they meet with a prospective employer, they can showcase their skills and differentiate themselves from the competition.”

The SBM prepares students with the skills and integrity needed to do business well in today’s world. Experienced faculty integrate faith and character throughout each program, equipping students to make a difference and transform how business works. With nine bachelor’s degrees in business and accounting, students can select the program that best fits their career goals. For those looking to advance their careers at the graduate level, APU offers a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Business Management (MBM), available on campus and online, as well as a Master of Professional Accountancy, Master of Arts in Leadership, Master of Science in Organizational Psychology, and Master of Public Administration.