Dave Blomquist: Cultivating Transformation on the Field

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Dave Blomquist, MA, is living out his mission as the head coach of Azusa Pacific University’s men’s soccer team. Although his teams have had many triumphant seasons, including going undefeated during regular season play and being ranked No. 1 in all of NCAA Division II in 2019, Blomquist doesn’t measure success through traditional metrics. “I have no idea how many wins I have in my coaching career. As much as I love when our team wins, that’s not nearly as important to me,” he said. “Tell me how many players I’ve coached because that’s the number of opportunities I’ve had to help a young man grow, develop, and be transformed.”

Transformation is central to what Blomquist aims to achieve in his coaching. This happens in a number of ways. While he wants to help his players develop their soccer skills on the field, it’s the growth that occurs off the field that matters most. Most of Blomquist’s players will become professionals in a different field than the soccer pitch, so he advises them to focus on building integrity and character. “There’s a saying that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” he said. “There’s some truth to that, but I would add a third part: Most importantly, it’s who you are. I think that is going to give them the greatest success in whatever they do.”

Building athletes of character is rooted in Blomquist’s faith. He draws parallels between soccer and faith on a daily basis with his players. “There are so many lessons we can learn through the sport that we read about in the Bible,” he said. One of Blomquist’s favorite memories is watching a player who didn’t know God at all when he started at APU give his life to Christ before he graduated. His faith journey began on the soccer field and is now guiding his life.

“I really try to talk to the guys about the perspective we need to have about soccer and about life and eternity,” Blomquist said. “We all think soccer is really important, or else we wouldn’t devote so much time to it. But if we step back, we can see how soccer is such a small part of your life when you’re talking about vocation, family, and eternity.”

For Blomquist, his love for soccer began as a child. Born and raised in Branby, Conn., Blomquist played a number of sports growing up, but as he matured, baseball, basketball, and tennis fell by the wayside and he focused on soccer. After high school, he decided to attend Wheaton College, like many members of his family had previously. Although he wasn’t recruited, he walked on to the soccer team his freshman year. “I loved playing soccer in college. I have so many good memories from those days,” he said. After graduating, Blomquist briefly pursued a professional soccer career, playing for one season with the Chicago Stingers. “It was a cool experience to be a part of that type of environment at the next level, but after one year, I knew it wasn’t for me,” he said. “That’s when I started doing more coaching. That’s what got me up in the morning, what I was really passionate about and enjoyed.”

Coaching had a snowball effect for Blomquist; once he got started, he just wanted to spend more time doing it. Coaching opportunities took him from Chicago to Minneapolis, then to San Diego. He spent several years coaching at the high school level while pursuing his Master’s of Sports Psychology at San Diego State. Then one day he got a call from Phil Wolf, an old friend he had played with at Wheaton and on the Stingers. Wolf was the head coach of APU’s men’s soccer team at the time and needed an assistant coach. “I took some time to pray about it to see if it was the right next step in my life,” Blomquist said. “God told me to take the opportunity at APU. In hindsight, it was 100 percent the right decision. It led me to discover my mission and live it out each day.” Three years later, Wolf left to pursue a NCAA Division I coaching opportunity, and Blomquist took the reins as head coach.

The men’s soccer team has a motto unlike any other team at APU. The motto, takwaba, a Bemba word, stems from a mission trip the team went on to Zambia in 2005. On the trip, the team heard people worshiping, singing “Takwaba Uwaba Nga Yesu” (There’s No One Like Jesus), and saw the happiness the song brought them. “They brought the song back because they believe it enveloped APU soccer in that we want to have joy together in what we do,” Blomquist said.

“We want to have joy when we’re playing on the field, working out at the gym, just hanging out, or whatever we’re doing. Our joy is rooted in being a team and the love of Jesus.”

This togetherness aspect is what makes the team special. Blomquist is intentional about cultivating a strong community. He’ll have the players over to his house for barbecues and cornhole tournaments. They’ll grab meals together and go cheer on other APU sports teams together. “We really invest in each other’s lives outside of soccer. It’s important for guys to be there for each other when things aren’t going well,” he said. “They’re there for each other through the low moments, after tough losses and when guys are going through rough patches off the field. That’s where brotherhood kicks in and those relationships continue down the line long after graduation.”

Blomquist recalled going to a former player’s wedding a few years ago. He didn’t know who else was attending, but he was happy to see more than 20 APU soccer alumni there to celebrate their teammate. “This is the culture we created, guys who not only love playing and hanging out together, but who also want to see each other become better men and develop spiritually,” he said. “That’s transformation. That’s the impact I want to have as a coach.”

Jill Lincoln: Cultivating Transformation in Theater Arts

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Jill Lincoln, MA, loves training the next generation of great storytellers. As the head of Azusa Pacific University’s Department of Theater Arts, Lincoln is passionate about helping students become experts at their craft, sharing impactful stories through the art of acting. “Stories matter. They’re the way in which Christ communicated and if we equip students to become exceptional storytellers, that is success, especially when we’re 20 minutes from the largest entertainment industry in the world,” Lincoln said.

This close proximity to Hollywood led Lincoln and APU theater arts faculty to develop the first Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting for the Stage and Screen program in the country. Unlike most traditional acting programs which focus solely on classical theater training, APU’s innovative BFA equips students with skills for on-camera work too. “Our faculty knew that in order to make a living as an actor, you’ve got to understand different genres,” Lincoln said. “The entertainment industry is always reinventing itself. We want to train our students to be flexible and know how to work in both areas.” The BFA in acting begins training students in theater so they can learn acting fundamentals, script analysis, and character development, before moving on to on-camera work. “I’ve done both. I love theater and the thrill of performing in front of a full house on opening night. I’m always equally excited to connect with another actor in front of the camera and then witness it on the big screen.”

Lincoln uses her firsthand knowledge from professional acting experience in her instruction. Originally from Dallas, Lincoln was fortunate to attend one of the top theater programs in the country at Southern Methodist University on a full ride. After graduating from SMU, she interned at The Alley, a professional theater in Houston, before deciding to take the leap to New York City. For several years, Lincoln struggled to land major roles, doing mostly free and non-equity theater. It was while she was acting at a charity event at Fifth Presbyterian Church that Lincoln had a life changing realization from the Holy Spirit. Although she grew up in a Christian household, Lincoln’s faith took a backseat to her ambition during her early career. She had been separating her faith from her acting.

“In that moment, I was convicted that I wasn't going to be able to act anymore unless I was willing to do it for the right reasons, not for fame or accolades, but to serve God with the characters I was creating and through the stories I was telling,” she said. “That was a game changer for me. It empowered me to worry less about pleasing others and to tell the story from an authentic place of truth.”

After this realization, Lincoln saw her career blossom. She got her big break as an understudy in a John Patrick Shanley Broadway production. This led Lincoln to land major roles in a couple of Broadway national tours, including Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo. “But right as I was breaking into Broadway, my agent called and said I needed to go to LA, so I did and I got my very first on camera job with Paul Giamatti and Vanessa Redgrave, two of the greats of the acting world,” Lincoln said. “Because I was on camera with them for 12 hours, I learned how to adjust from theater to film acting.” Lincoln continued landing roles on major shows including starring as “Crazy Carrie” in Gilmore Girls, Tish Atherton in Desperate Housewives, and Gracie Jane in Boston Legal.

While pursuing her acting career, Lincoln founded the Brennan Gould Acting Studio with colleagues who had trained at Yale. Here, she began to develop courses that would later influence the APU’s BFA in acting curriculum. Soon after starting the studio, Lincoln received an invite from a friend to lead a workshop on auditioning at APU. “I loved it. I instantly fell in love with the students and I was thrilled that it led to me getting to teach a class as an adjunct instructor at APU,” she said. Lincoln enjoyed teaching while still pursuing her acting career for a few years, but after having two kids, she decided to become a full-time educator. “I didn’t train to be a professor, but I realized pretty early in my acting career that I wanted to teach. I learned a lot at SMU, but there were so many things they didn’t teach that I learned through experience on Broadway and in LA that I wanted to share with my students.”

Lincoln’s faith played a major role in her choosing to teach at APU. When looking at colleges for herself, Lincoln didn’t seriously consider any Christian universities because their theater programs weren’t nearly as strong as their secular counterparts. “Even years later after I had kids, I thought it was a shame that there wasn’t a Christian university with an acting program that I’d want to send my kids to one day,” she said.

“Looking back, I saw APU as a great place to develop a premier Christian theater arts program. I think our incredible faculty, staff, and students have made that happen. I believe we are one of the leading Christian acting programs in the country.”

APU Theater Arts has received numerous accolades in the last two decades, including having the West Coast premiere of Aaron Sorkin’s To Kill a Mockingbird in 2019, before the show even launched a national tour. APU was also selected as one of only five universities in the nation to receive the rights to perform Andrew Lloyd Weber’s The Phantom of the Opera after the Broadway production closed in 2022. “I have friends from other top acting schools across the country who ask me how we got these shows at a private Christian school,” Lincoln said. “All of us in our department know that it’s God using our proximity to LA and this particular group of people to create exceptionalism in His name.”

Perhaps the accomplishment that Lincoln is most proud of is the development of the Industry Showcase at Warner Bros. Studios. Held in April each year, the BFA Showcase allows graduating APU seniors to perform in front of dozens of talent representatives and industry agents. Students share monologues and present a web series so agents can get a sense of their acting skills on the stage and screen. “We were one of the first programs in the country to create a unique BFA industry showcase like that. Most schools only highlight their MFA students. We had 50 talent representatives sign up for the Showcase last year, which is incredible,” Lincoln said. “It led to 70 percent of our students getting called to meet with an agent, and 50 percent of them got signed.”

APU alumni have gone on to star in numerous TV shows, movies, and even Super Bowl commercials. Lincoln loves seeing her students succeed in the industry, testifying to the training they received at APU. “It is exciting to see our students using their talents to be difference makers for Christ.”

Raphaela Lacerda ’23 Makes Her Mark in Conducting

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

As hundreds of audience members watched, Raphaela Lacerda, MM ’23, took the stage to conduct the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra (SBSO) for the first time. Lacerda was guest conducting Georges Bizet’s Farandole from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 after an invitation from renowned conductor Anthony Parnther for the SBSO’s final performance of 2022. Having only rehearsed with the orchestra for 20 minutes the day before the show, Lacerda remained confident and everything went smoothly as the audience burst into applause as the piece ended. “A lot of people came up to talk to me after the show, complimenting the performance and commenting on how young I was,” Lacerda said. “There were even a few kids who said they wanted to be like me when they grew up. That was a special moment, to think I could be a role model for them.”

Lacerda was remarkably young to be conducting a professional orchestra. In fact, this debut conducting performance at the SBSO happened six months before she graduated with her Master’s in Conducting from Azusa Pacific University. Yet Lacerda’s performance caused Parnther to immediately recognize her potential for greatness. Panther knows what it takes to succeed, having conducted for numerous blockbuster movies including Oppenheimer, Avatar, and Black Panther and at dozens of orchestras across the world.

“From the moment Lacerda stepped onto the SBSO podium at the California Theatre, she demonstrated a command and professionalism rare for a musician her age,” Panther said. “It was at this moment that I made the rare decision to take on an assistant conductor to mentor, and learn the ropes of what it really takes to run and grow a regional orchestra.”

After graduating in May, Lacerda began working as the assistant conductor of the SBSO, fully engaged with Parnther both on and off the stage, aiming to excel in her role. “His musicianship is amazing. I’m learning to listen like him, to hear what he hears. As his assistant, sometimes my job is to stay in the audience during rehearsals and talk about the performance and what I heard,” Lacerda said. However, the performance aspect is just one facet of her multifaceted role. She also actively participates in the behind-the-scenes operations that ensure the smooth functioning of the SBSO. This involves coordinating venue setup, assisting with brand sponsorships, and contributing to the orchestra’s website and social media. “I’m working on promoting the SBSO because although we are one of the oldest orchestras in Southern California, not many people know how much we’ve changed recently,” she said. “If you watch a video of us from five years ago, it’s nothing compared to now and it’s great to hear response from people noticing how much we’ve grown.”

Lacerda’s impact on the SBSO has already received recognition. In July, Lacerda was named the recipient of the Emerging Professional Award from the Association of California Symphony Orchestras. “Raphaela’s work distinguished her as a true emerging professional from the day we met her,” said Anne Viricel, executive director of the SBSO. “We quickly received phone calls from community members and local music teachers asking when she would be back on the podium!” This award is the culmination of years of practice and rehearsal on Lacerda's journey to becoming a great conductor.

Lacerda began her musical journey as a young child in her hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil. After years of playing the violin, she began studying music seriously at a conservatorium and performing in youth orchestras. It was in one of these orchestras that she discovered her passion for conducting. “Each season, we would have a new person leading us. I grew curious because each conductor had a different style,” she said. “The good conductors could identify things and say, trumpet two, play it this way. It was magical seeing how talented their ears were and how they could communicate to help us play better as a whole.”

As Lacerda watched her conductors, she began to come up with ideas on how to improve her orchestra’s performance and realized she wanted to become a conductor one day.

After years of musical experience in Brazil, Lacerda decided to pursue a master’s degree in America. She researched more than 100 universities and began narrowing the list down until there were only 20. APU stood out among these institutions because of its close proximity to Los Angeles, scholarship opportunities, and great reviews from other Brazilians who had attended the university to study music. Perhaps the most important reason Lacerda chose APU was because of the professor she would be mentored by, Chris Russell, MM, an accomplished conductor who was still active in the industry. Lacerda contacted Russell and sent videos of her performances. “Immediately, I was impressed and I thought she had quite a bit of potential,” Russell said.

Although Lacerda’s APU journey was delayed by two years because of the pandemic, she was not deterred, moving to Azusa in fall 2021. “I noticed quickly that she had a very natural feel for conducting, she was a born leader, and she was always curious about how to get better at her craft,” Russell said. Lacerda had a strong rehearsal technique, diagnosing issues in the orchestra and helping them improve before performances. “The orchestra really liked performing with her. Whenever she was conducting, they were in good hands,” he said. “With each piece I gave her, she continued to get better.”

The pinnacle of Lacerda’s time at APU came during her master’s recital in March. Wanting to give her a challenge, Russell tasked her with conducting the New World Symphony by Antonín Dvořák, one of the most beloved symphonies ever written. She had four rehearsals to put together a program before the recital. As Russell sat in the audience, he was in awe of Lacerda’s conducting performance. “With the orchestra in her command, I didn’t feel like I was hearing a student production, I felt like I was in a professional concert,” he said. Soon after her master’s recital, Lacerda received the 2023 Dennis Royce Graduate Achievement and Academic Excellence Award from APU.

“Raphaela is one of the most gifted students I’ve ever had the pleasure to teach. She will make her mark in the conducting world. I’m excited to see what God has planned for her.”

Lacerda is excited to continue learning from Parnther at the SBSO, building her conducting resume. While a return home to Brazil may be coming in the future, that would be a long ways away and for now, she is focusing on refining her craft. “I’m very grateful for my experience at APU and I’m blessed to be conducting here in San Bernardino,” she said. “God opened the right doors for me and I trust He will continue to do so. I’m open to whatever God has planned for me.”

Student Spotlight: Sarah Potts Shares God’s Love Through Community

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Sarah Potts ’24 loves cultivating community as a resident advisor (RA) in Azusa Pacific’s University Village. While being away from home can be challenging for students, Potts strives to provide a welcoming environment for her residents so they feel seen and known. She gets to know each resident, learning their names and birthdays at the beginning of the semester and she sends them encouraging texts throughout the year. Potts also hosts monthly breakfasts where students can drop in and enjoy a free meal while catching up on life. “Pancakes with Potts is always a lot of fun. That’s how I became friends with many of my residents,” she said.

“Serving with hospitality and cultivating community in my court is a really fun way to do ministry.”

As a Christian ministries major, Potts is passionate about sharing her faith. She served as a children’s ministry intern at her church, Hillside Community Church in Rancho Cucamonga, for the past three years. “I got to preach these little sermonettes sharing Biblical stories. When I first started, I was nervous because I felt like I was learning alongside the kids. It really resonated with my childlike faith and helped me grow.” Potts means this literally.

Potts didn’t grow up in a Christian household. Until she graduated from high school, she had never considered going to church. “I didn’t think church was where I belonged. I hadn’t seen God in my life,” Potts said. After declining several invitations from her friend Jayden Zwerner ’20 to go to young adults ministry at Hillside, Potts finally decided to give it a try. Although she was nervous at first, she quickly became interested in the pastor’s sermons and decided to continue attending services. “I was a history major at Chaffey at the time and I loved hearing the Bible stories and drawing the bridge between academia and biblical history,” she said. “After a month of going to young adult ministry and asking the pastor questions, I realized I was starting to believe.” One night, the pastor delivered a sermon about Saul turning to Paul and the redemption God offers. “I felt like he was talking directly to me. He did an altar call and I stood up and accepted God. After that, I dove head first into ministry. The joy of the Lord has changed me. I would not be who I am without my faith and the opportunity to worship God.”

Becoming a Christian led Potts to decide she wanted to transfer from Chaffey College to a faith based institution. Since she had many friends from church who went to APU, it seemed like a natural fit and when she visited campus, she knew God was leading her here. At APU, Potts changed majors and fell in love with learning more about the Bible in an intimate class setting. “I really liked my classes at Chaffey at the time I was in them, but now I see how big those classes were. A couple courses had more than 100 students,” she said. “At APU, the classes are much smaller and I’ve built great relationships with my professors. I feel really cared for by all of them because of their intentionality.” Potts said professors like Justin Marc Smith, PhD, and Frederico A. Roth, PhD, have challenged her to grow her critical thinking skills while teaching her how to understand Scripture. Potts enjoys sharing coffee with them while having deep conversations about faith and life. “They’re both phenomenal. They really take the time to get to know you and help you achieve your full potential.”

As Potts heads into her senior year, she’s still figuring out what she wants to do after graduation. She had planned on becoming a youth pastor for a time, and even served at a Hume Lake camp where she was told by multiple pastors that they would love to have her join their church’s youth ministry. Potts is also considering working in young adult ministry.

“It’s such an important area that’s often forgotten," she said. "Without young adults' ministry, I wouldn’t have become a believer. A lot of churches don’t have young adults’ ministry even though that’s a time people tend to lose their faith. I see a deep need for that and I’ve felt the Lord putting it on my heart strongly.”

For now, Potts is focused on enjoying her senior year. Balancing being an RA with working in the Student Services Center while being a full-time student isn’t easy, but Potts loves both her jobs and her classes. As a first generation college student, she doesn’t take anything for granted. “When I started college, I thought everyone does this and it’s not a big deal. But I remembered how college wasn’t in the cards for my parents and how some people would give anything to get an education like this,” she said. “I constantly remind myself what a privilege it is to get a college education.”

Faculty Friday: Phil Cox Encourages Students to Pursue their Dreams

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Phil Cox, PhD, will never forget his first biochemistry class at Azusa Pacific University. Having just finished his doctorate in pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University, Cox made the decision to go into teaching, unlike many of his peers at Hopkins who chose a career in research. His first class, Principles of Biochemistry, in spring 2017 taught him a lot. “I remember inviting students over to my house for dinner, helping students out during office hours, and the real privilege of students talking with me about the uncertainties in their classes and in their life,” he said.

“That was my first experience mentoring students and I’m grateful to that class for giving me that gift.”

Although originally from a small town in Illinois, Cox spent most of his childhood in Oklahoma City. He developed a love for math early on which morphed into a passion for science in high school when he saw how math was a foundational tool for chemistry. Cox attended Southern Nazarene University, where his father taught as a chemistry professor, for his undergraduate studies. “I feel like I ended up in the family business,” he joked. Cox loved his education at SNU where the faculty weren’t afraid to talk about the ways that science and the Christian faith can engage thoughtfully with one another. “I still keep in touch with them. Those have developed into really significant relationships for me, especially now that I’m a professor too.”

During his undergraduate studies, Cox completed three summer research programs at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, the University of Oklahoma, and at Harvard University. “Harvard was an amazing experience. I got to work on a really neat project, the replication of a human herpes virus, stuff I couldn’t work on at a smaller school, using equipment my school didn’t have,” he said. Cox’s favorite experiences at Harvard were gleaning insight from other incredibly talented students and engaging in professional development opportunities. After Harvard, Cox returned to SNU, finished his bachelor’s degree, and got a job at a research lab studying anthrax and how to improve the anthrax vaccine. After two years in the lab, Cox got married and he and his wife moved to Baltimore for graduate school. While his wife pursued a Masters in Public Policy at George Washington University, he began his PhD at Hopkins.

As he got deeper into his program, Cox told his faculty advisor that he was interested in teaching. She made time to help him along his route and when he saw a job pop up on the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities website, she advised him to go for it. After a few interviews, he landed the job at APU and began packing to move across the country with his wife. “The position fit very well for me in terms of subject matter and being at a faith-based institution,” Cox said. “My path to APU wasn’t a traditional one, but I’m very grateful to be here.”

Cox’s favorite part of working at APU is the students he gets to instruct. “Our students have such amazing stories. They’re so talented and have big dreams for themselves,” he said. “It’s a privilege to help them realize those dreams.” Many of his students have gone on to grad school, some with full rides based on their accomplishments at APU. Cox enjoys pouring into students and encouraging their dreams. “I recognize special students and tell them, ‘You’ve got what it takes.’ They tell me, ‘Nobody’s ever told me that before,’” he said. “I have the perspective of knowing how everyone in the class is doing and I can tell them that they are exceptional.”

For the upcoming school year, Cox is excited to conduct research with student assistants. APU recently made a $2 million investment to support research across the university, including in the Department of Biology and Chemistry. “I’m ecstatic that we’re getting a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, the same industry standard one I used at Hopkins,” Cox said.

“With it, we’ll be able to measure any small molecule we want. This advances the capabilities of research in our department to levels that I never knew we could achieve.”

Cox loves combining research and mentoring with his students. While many universities require students to wait until graduate school to conduct research, APU offers numerous opportunities for students to research in undergrad. “Having students engage in long-term research projects helps train our students to think like scientists,” he said. Cox said this experience is more valuable than his summer research programs, where it was an 8-10 week blitz and just beginning to get his feet wet. “Here, we’re able to bring students on for a couple of years and by the time they reach the end of that experience, they have a really good understanding of the project and the research process,” he said. “It’s a great way to build relationships with students while they’re at APU and support them as they continue onto life after graduation.”

Faculty Friday: Michelle Cox Sees Impact Through Ripple Effect

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Michelle Cox,PhD, loves helping people determine their purpose in life. As the director of Azusa Pacific University’s school counseling program, Cox has equipped thousands of students during her time at APU to become difference makers. “I feel that my calling is to really help others identify their calling,” she said. “I love empowering my students to meet their God given potential.”

Although Cox has taught counseling for 19 years at APU, she didn’t always plan on a career in counseling. Growing up, Cox aimed to become a broadcast journalist. After watching the news and seeing the way the media covered discrimination, racial profiling, and police violence, she decided to do something about it. “I studied communications so I could tell the news in a way where it shared both sides,” she said. In college, Cox wrote for the student newspaper, served as a DJ for the radio station, and was the first news director for her university’s news broadcast alongside future ABC7 sports anchor Rob Fukuzaki.

Several life changes caused Cox to change her career trajectory and return to college to get a master’s degree in educational counseling. This led to her coming to APU after serving in counseling positions at Chaffey College and Victor Valley College. Cox has enjoyed her nearly two decades teaching at APU. During that time, three of her four children attended APU, with one receiving close mentorship from former President Jon Wallace.

Cox teaches a number of courses including Community, Family, and School Collaboration; Professionalism, Ethics, and Law; Crisis/Trauma Response and Intervention; and Foundations and Ethics in Research. Her favorite class to teach is Sociocultural Competence. “I get to talk about my own life and the racial challenges I experienced firsthand growing up. We also talk about faith and how it intersects with race and the discipline. I love hearing the different perspectives from students in our program,” she said.

Cox has conducted extensive research related to schooling and systemic oppression experienced nationally by Black American students. A large part of this research was conducted with a graduate from the School of Education, Bryan Bowens ’14 EdD. “Bryan is like my adopted son, as he is to many of the faculty here at APU,” Cox said. “Doing research with him has been great. He handles all of the data analysis because that’s his speciality as a math teacher.” The relationship Cox and other faculty built with Bowens led him to bring more than 180 students from Kern County to visit APU’s campus in the fall.

It’s this kind of student-teacher relationship that truly fulfills Cox. She enjoys hearing success stories of her students and makes sure they stay in contact with her after graduation, to hear when they land counseling jobs and how they start supporting the K-12 students they serve. “I feel like what I’m doing is magnified and has a ripple effect. It brings me joy and satisfaction,” she said. “I feel like I can impact far more people through teaching and seeing the effects, how they pour into others down the road.”

Cox also loves teaching at APU because she feels free to share her faith, unlike her experience at secular institutions. “At APU, I can talk freely about my personal relationship with God with my students and share my favorite scripture,” she said. “It feels good to bring my entire self to work. I’m a child of God and I want everyone to know that.”

Helena Mayer ’20: Reaching the Lost Through Music

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

When Helena Mayer ’20 began her career, she had a pivotal choice to make. Although she had studied worship music at Azusa Pacific University, she felt unsettled about going into a career in Christian music. “I prayed and asked God what He wanted from me. I heard Him say ‘I want you to reach the lost,’” she said. “I feel called to be at the beginning stage of people’s faith journeys. For people who have turned around because they’ve been so hurt by the church, I want my songs to start the process of showing them there’s something more, something worth living for even if that’s not under the description of Christian music.”

Mayer draws inspiration from the story of Esther. “The word God is not used once in the book of Esther and yet everything about that story is about God and this complete surrender to God’s will in your life,” she said. “I’m not shy about my faith. It’s there and it’s present but I’m more passionate about showing people the good and beautiful life.”

Mayer debuted her first song, When It’s Over, in 2018. It got placed on Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist which led it to grow in popularity. Today, When It’s Over has more than 1.7 million streams. Although she was thrilled to see the song doing so well, Mayer had a sense of impostor syndrome at first. “I was insecure about being honest about where I’m at in life and translating that into music,” she said. It wasn’t until Mayer released her first EP, Growing Up, in 2020 that she felt a sense of confidence in her lyrics, especially with the song Childish.

“Knowing that it was about something that came from my own experience was something where it was really hard to sit and realize people could think of me differently because I’m not this cookie cutter, perfect, have done no wrong kind of human being,” she said. “I can’t be vulnerable if I’m not willing to be honest about my own experiences.”

Mayer’s vulnerability has led her to write songs on a variety of topics including anxiety, being an introvert, feeling misunderstood, breakups, and going through mental health struggles. Fans have resonated strongly with this and her 21 songs have more than 10 million cumulative streams on Spotify. However, Mayer doesn’t pay attention to the numbers—anymore. “So many of our formative years were shaped by social media where value is determined by likes. I’m trying to focus less on the likes and streams,” she said. “It’s hard for me to do and I’m still learning how to do it.” So what does she place her value in? “Response.”

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, like musicians across the world, Mayer had to halt her live performances. She moved back to her family’s home in Thousand Oaks, retreated to her room, and disappeared to the outside world for months. “That was really necessary,” she said, “I needed that time because there was just so much I hadn’t processed. I wasn’t really able to. It had just compounded over the years. I needed to recharge.”

When ready to perform again, a newer medium presented itself. While Twitch had mostly been used to stream gaming and esports prior to 2020, the pandemic led the platform to become a hub for virtual concerts, something musicians sorely needed for their livelihood. Mayer started streaming on Twitch in August 2021 and hit partner status after six months. She now performs four times a week for her more than 9,000 followers. While the platform is free for users, fans can support their favorite artists by subscribing for $5-25 a month. Half of these proceeds go to the artist.

Twitch revitalized Mayer’s life and career more than she could have imagined. She has dedicated fans across the world. Not only do they listen to her music, they want to hear the backstories behind every song and request their favorites on repeat. Fans’ response and engagement has driven Mayer to new creative heights. She hopes her music will have the kind of reach that changes lives.

“I’ve had multiple people reach out to me and share personal details about their life and how my song helped them get through tough times,” she said. “Even if that’s the only impact I’ve had through my music, to me, that’s enough.”

Reflecting on her time at APU, Mayer credits both her areas of study for equipping her to become the musician she is today. In her music and worship major, she was heavily influenced by Stephen Martin, DCM, director of the Worship Studies program. After taking a songwriting class with Martin, Mayer served as his teaching assistant for three years. “Working with Stephen was really formative. He was integral to my musical journey,” Mayer said. Some of Martin’s biggest impact came when Mayer would share her songs with him and ask for feedback on the lyrics. “He wouldn’t tell me to change this or change that. Instead, he would pose these really great questions that helped me reach the conclusion on my own.”

Mayer also drew upon many experiences in the music program that prepared her for her career. These included leading a chapel band which expanded her musical repertoire and gave her experience singing in front of a large crowd, learning how to use a soundboard which she uses every time she streams on Twitch, and being told to always hire a lawyer when working with other artists on songs so she receives fair pay for her work. This is also where she learned the true meaning of worship.

“When most people think of worship, they think of Sunday mornings before the sermon where you repeat the chorus over and over. There’s so much more to it,” she said. “Worship is something everyone can do using the gifts they have.”

Mayer also majored in honors humanities. Being a part of the Honors College was one of her favorite parts of APU. “I loved the intentionality of honors. It taught me how to think critically,” she said. “Writing and discussing deep topics is my bread and butter.” Mayer specifically credits colloquy with David Weeks, PhD, Diana Pavlac Glyer, PhD, and Gary Black, PhD, where she learned ideas that have inspired many of her lyrics. “They taught me how to look at the big picture and see how we can take these intricate concepts and make them into something that’s relatable, showing people a better piece of humanity.”

Mayer trusts that God is guiding her in the right direction. “I’d love to have a big impact, but I don’t want it to be about me,” she said. “If there’s a way I could take people on little blind dates with Jesus and have them leave the show talking more about the music than the artist, talking about the meaning behind the songs, that to me is impact.”

Faculty Friday: Jenica Morin-Pascual Awarded 48th District Woman of the Year

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Earlier this year, adjunct professor Jenica Morin-Pascual opened an unexpected email that brought her tears of joy. She had just been named the 2023 California Assembly District 48 Distinguished Woman of the Year. “I was in shock. I had no idea I had been nominated. I felt so honored,” she said. Morin-Pascual flew up to Sacramento with her sister and received the award from Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio ’99, ’03. “It was surreal. It was the experience of a lifetime to be amongst these amazing women. I feel blessed that I’ve had opportunities that I never imagined would come to me, just by doing something I truly love.” Morin-Pascual also received the Public Safety Woman of the Year award for the 22nd District from Senator Susan Rubio ’01.

Morin-Pascual’s Journey

Growing up, Morin-Pascual described her parents as great role models who treated each other and their children with kindness and respect. Yet, her world was shaken when her best friend lost both parents due to a domestic violence incident.

Morin-Pascual grappled with how to process such a painful and senseless tragedy. “I really wanted to understand more about what my friend had gone through and how to help her,” she said. This led Morin-Pascual to pursue a degree in social work. During college, she interned at the San Gabriel Valley YWCA and learned how to recognize domestic violence signs while supporting victims and providing them with resources.

Now married with three children, Morin-Pascual works part time with the YWCA as the manager of training and outreach. In her role, Morin-Pascual trains and educates many groups including high school and college students, law enforcement agencies, small businesses, community service clubs, and healthcare organizations. “With some, my goal is to talk about what healthy and unhealthy relationships look like and how to recognize red flags,” she said. “For others, like doctors and dentists, I teach them the right questions to ask to make sure their patients are safe.”

After speaking to a number of groups, Morin-Pascual made connections that allowed her to share her expertise more broadly. This included working with an NFL team to provide education and training. She was also invited to speak at Red Table Talk, an Emmy winning talk show hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith. “It was incredible to have a platform on that level, reaching millions of people, to talk about things I’m passionate about and provide resources,” she said.

Wearing Many Hats

In addition to her role with the YWCA, Morin-Pascual works for the Covina Police Department as the youth accountability coordinator for first time offending youth. “Instead of having this offense on their record, we have a diversion program that allows them to work with me, attending counseling, just trying to get them back on the right track after making a bad decision,” she said. So far, eight youth have passed through her program, and one of them just graduated from college. In her role with Covina PD, Morin-Pascual also works alongside the detective unit, assisting with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, providing resources and support.

Morin-Pascual also shares her expertise with Azusa Pacific University’s Department of Social Work, teaching Intimate Relationship Violence: Assessment and Intervention. “Students that take my course are able to get a certificate as domestic violence advocates that enables them to work at any domestic violence program in the State of California,” she said. Though Morin-Pascual has educated thousands of people through her training sessions, she especially enjoys teaching a semester-long course. “I supervised interns from APU’s social work department, so I already knew how amazing the program was,” she said. “But becoming a professor and teaching them was one of the highest achievements of my life.”

Balancing three jobs while being a mother of three is no easy task, but Morin-Pascual manages it because she loves all her jobs. “I also have an amazing family that deals with my crazy schedule. We make time to be together on the weekends and enjoy exploring new places,” she said. Morin-Pascual keeps herself available to law enforcement whenever they need her assistance. “It’s challenging, but I’m lucky because I have a very understanding and supportive family.” Morin-Pascual hopes to set a great example for her daughters, just as her parents did for her. “My upbringing is very important to my work in this field. I know what a healthy relationship looks like because I saw my parents treat each other and us with love, respect, honesty, and faithfulness.”

Jollyfisher Ekpe ’24: Striving to Bring Glory to God

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

For Jollyfisher (Jolly) Ekpe ’24, taking a leap of faith was as simple as one word—yes. Originally from Quakertown, Pennsylvania, Ekpe was hesitant to move far away from his family to attend college, so he prayed about it, asking God for guidance. “I got the most resounding yes that I’ve ever felt from the Lord in my life,” Ekpe said. “But it wasn’t just a voice, it was a yearning to go and see what God had for me at Azusa Pacific and He started opening doors with scholarships.”

Although Ekpe had planned on studying biology and pursuing a career in the sciences, he also felt a calling to use the creative talents God gifted him. Right before he started at APU, he switched his major to acting, trusting God’s providence again. “I had a heart posture change. I hadn’t been in a play since seventh grade, but God gave me the confidence to pursue acting,” he said. “I completely put my faith in Him, auditioned for the program, and got in.” Ekpe loves that APU has one of the few acting programs in the country which offers training for both the stage and screen since he aims to land roles in both areas after graduation.

For now, Ekpe is focused on refining his craft. He recently starred in APU’s productions of Trojan Women and Twelfth Night. With feedback from guest directors Kristi Papailler and Kevin Slay, Ekpe sharpened his technique and delivered dynamic performances in his first lead roles since middle school. “I received really helpful advice from my acting professors to make bold decisions and just live. It’s called acting but it’s really just being, just living up on stage,” he said. Ekpe’s instructors Kirsten Lundin Humer, MFA, and Andi Chapman, MFA, have played key roles in his development as an actor.

“They’re so knowledgeable in their craft. They know when I’m not being truthful or not giving 100 percent,” Ekpe said. “They don’t settle for mediocre; they push me to do amazing things. Learning from them has been a blessing."

Ekpe also tries learning from and replicating great actors. Some of his favorites include Natalie Portman, Chadwick Boseman, and Aaron Pierre. “Aaron has such patience on screen and inspires me to take my moments, to not try to do too much, and to be present. I’m still learning how to put that into practice.”

Ekpe also informs his acting through what he learns in his psychology classes. Although he gave up biology, he didn’t abandon his love for the sciences, so he added a psychology minor. “I had to do something science related and understanding the human psyche is the next best thing. I love learning about the intricacies of the human body,” he said. Ekpe is also minoring in screenwriting to give himself another edge when he goes into the cinematic field after graduation.

On top of his studies, Ekpe plays bass for APU’s Kaleo chapel band. “Worship has always been something I’ve felt gifted in, a way I can reach people and share God’s love. I’m happy to continue cultivating that in college,” he said. However, there came a point last year where Ekpe faced the challenges of burnout and feeling inadequate in his worship skills. “I questioned why I was even doing it anymore,” he said. “But I’ve learned that in those moments where the enemy is trying to overtake your mind and your peace, you need to worship 10 times as hard. Spiritual warfare is very real, but the cross is infinitely more powerful.”

Ekpe also serves as a resident advisor (RA) in Engstrom Hall. He decided to apply for the position after a conversation with his sister made him realize it involved a lot of the things he loved: connecting with others, putting on events, and creating a fun environment for students.

“My favorite part of being an RA is interacting with my residents, having these unplanned one-on-one conversations with them, seeing what’s going on in their life and how I can help,” Ekpe said. “They know if they ever need me, my door is right down the hall, and I’m here for them.”

If this sounds like a lot to balance, it is. Ekpe struggled to juggle all of his responsibilities at first, but he found solutions that have made his day-to-day not only manageable, but simple. “Jesus is my savior, but Google Calendar has saved me on so many fronts this year,” he said. Ekpe mapped out his entire semester with rehearsals for plays, Kaleo, RA duties, and classes. He also began observing Sabbath in February. “Sabbath has been huge, just pausing and resting. It’s been very conducive for me to be in silence and at peace.”

Ekpe said practicing Sabbath has taught him patience by literally pausing and letting God’s will be done. While these day-to-day practices are important, it’s the big picture faith that Ekpe’s passionate about. “I love Colossians 3:17, which says whatever you do, whether in word or deed, to do it in the name of God. I want that to be the story of my life, whether I’m on a chapel team, or I’m an RA, or pursuing acting, behind or in front of the camera, I want it to be for God the Father,” he said. “Ultimately, I want to be really good at what I’m doing to bring glory to God.”

Avery Burn ’24: Sharing God’s Love Through Nursing

This article was originally published on APU’s website.

Avery Burn ’24 is passionate about helping people. Although she didn’t know she wanted to study nursing until the end of high school, Burn is absolutely sure that she’s found her calling. Her classes at APU have strengthened her resolve that nursing is the best way she can care for others while showing God’s love. “Being a nurse aligns so well with my faith,” she said. “I came to APU because the nursing program is one of the best in the world and I wanted to have a top education while also growing through Christ- centered relationships on campus.”

Burn’s experience in classes like Mental Health Nursing helped develop her passion for advocating for people with mental health challenges. In March, Burn put together an event in partnership with the University Counseling Center featuring a panel with six APU students who live with chronic illnesses and disabilities. “Both my roommate and I have had a chronic illness and we realized there was a big lack of knowledge most people had about it,” she said. “We wanted to create a space where APU faculty, staff, and students could learn from their peers who have chronic illnesses and disabilities.”

Burn’s worldview has also been shaped by her time in APU’s Honors College. After completing her minor in honors in the fall, she feels more equipped to speak out for the marginalized. “Before honors, I wasn’t a good public speaker,” she said. “Honors gave me a great foundation to learn from other students gifted in this area and to gain more confidence in public speaking.”

Although Burn sees her future as a career in emergency nursing, her commitment to health spurred a side business with a friend and she is excited to see it grow. Her business, Pacific Poppies, sells luxury coconut-soy wax candles. “My friend, Chloe Palmer, and I love burning candles, but they were affecting our asthma and giving her headaches,” Burn said. “We researched and found out that there are many toxins and chemicals in the candles we had. We wanted to create our own solution to that.” After researching, Burn and Palmer found waxes that burn cleanly with pleasant fragrances, offering a healthier solution for candle lovers.

Before they launched the company, Burn and Palmer decided on Psalm 27:1 as their company verse. The verse, which reads “The Lord is my light and salvation—whom shall I fear,” embodies the faith that they want to incorporate into their company.

For Burn, faith is what it all comes down to. After accepting God into her heart in the third grade, she has let her faith guide her life. “I also really like Psalm 23 because it’s calming and lets me know that God’s in control, that he’s the one leading me, my shepard,” she said. In the next year, Burn hopes to start a prayer group for APU students with chronic illness and disabilities. In the years following, she wants to share her faith through her work. “As a Christian, I want others to accept Jesus as their Savior. Through the medical field, that means being the best Christian nurse I can be and serving others with the love of Christ.”