Animation Students Guest Host Annie Awards

When Tony Bancroft, director of APU’s Animation and Visual Effects program, went on stage with his team to accept the Best Animated Special Production Award for Mary Poppins Returns at the 46th Annual Annie Awards, 23 of his animation students cheered him on.

“It was extremely special to have my students in the audience with me. When my name was called, they were super excited, leaping to their feet and applauding,” he said. “Getting recognized by my peers in the animation industry is an honor, but being recognized by my students is exceptional. They represent the next generation of great animators.”

Bancroft was hired by former colleague Ken Duncan as part of a 12-member team of animators for Mary Poppins Returns. Reminiscent of the 1964 film, they created a 20-minute animated sequence of animals dancing with stars Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

These animals were created the old-fashioned way — hand drawn and two-dimensional. Bancroft said they relished the work because it brought them back to the days when they collaborated on various classics in the 90s, including Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Mulan.

Bancroft, who won an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Directing in 1998 for Mulan, along with his co-director Barry Cook, described the Annies as the Oscars of the animation world.

“The Annies are the highest level award you can receive in animation. They’re sponsored by all the major studios,” he said. “Everybody gets dressed up; it’s a black tie event. It’s one of the only times us geeky animation people look like movie stars.”

Bancroft said the black tie element was the biggest challenge for his students. Some students called their parents the week before and asked them to send their old prom dresses so they would have something to wear to the ceremonies.

“They all had a ball,” Bancroft said. “For the first time, APU was the only school with guest hosts at the Annies. All of my students were invited to attend and every single one showed up.”

The students hosted animation celebrities ranging from voice actors like Holly Hunter (Elastigirl, The Incredibles), to directors like Pete Docter (Up, Monsters Inc., Inside Out) and Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille). Students were assigned to a presenter and helped escort them down the red carpet, through the press area, and to the VIP after party.

Senior animation major Sandra Elhachem said she thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity.

“Attending the Annies was a fun and memorable experience. I met people in animation who were my childhood heroes and I learned more about the industry,” she said.

Volunteering served not only as a chance for students to meet their animation icons, but to network as well.

“I hope, more than anything, my students see that to make it in the animation industry, to shine for Christ in Hollywood, they need to be excellent at what they do,” Bancroft said.

He hopes all future APU animation students will meet their heroes and experience the Annies as a volunteer before one day taking the stage to accept an award of their own.

Search for APU's next president down to four candidates

This article was originally published on ZU News.

Nearly 10 months have passed since Azusa Pacific President Jon Wallace announced his retirement. In that time, APU’s Presidential Search Committee has worked to find Wallace’s replacement, partnering with search firm CarterBaldwin to narrow the candidate list from more than 80 candidates down to just four.

Dan Fachner, board member and co-lead of the search committee, said the applications began in September and in the following months the committee narrowed the list down to nine candidates, then to the current four. Fachner said he was not at liberty to disclose the candidates names.

“I’m delighted with the candidates that we’re at today. I think each one of them are really strong,” Fachner said. “Each one of them has their unique strengths in different areas.”

The search committee, comprised of seven board members and seven non-board members (two faculty and five administrators), chose these four candidates after a lengthy review process. They began by assembling a set of criteria they were looking for in the next president.

Facher described the process, saying the committee members split up and each assembled their own list of traits they wanted to see in the next president. He said when they came back together and compared notes, they had the same main criteria.

“Being able to hold the university strong in [its] mission was very high up there. Being able to lead with vision and mission, both were extremely important,” Fachner said. “It goes without saying that a background in higher education was extremely important to us.”

Besides these traits, Fachner said two personal skills were paramount for the presidential role.

“[We wanted] somebody with really strong leadership and communication skills,” Fachner said.

Diversity is another important aspect for the next president.

“Absolutely. Diversity is very important to us and to the student body. We recognize the added value in that,” said Loren Martin, faculty moderator and a member of the search committee.

According to Fachner, the reflection of APU’s student body was a factor in searching for diverse candidates.

“We talked about it from the start, the importance of broadening our search enough to be able to pull in some diversity,” Fachner said. “Knowing that APU was a diverse campus was an important thing. Not that it was the sole reason, but we felt like that was an important thing for the potential new president.”

Neither Fachner nor Martin could comment on whether the candidates were internal or external applicants. However, Ethan Schrum, an assistant professor in the Department of History and Political Science, said he was certain where they would come from.

“I believe it is very likely that this will be an external hire,” Schrum said. “Among all the constituents, there seems to be a sense that APU really needs some fresh ideas and somebody who has some real experience running another institution, even if it’s not necessarily at the presidential level, but someone who really understands how other institutions work to maybe come in and help us improve our infrastructure and some of our processes.”

Schrum noted the traits faculty are looking for in the next president.

“Many faculty want a president who will both be very oriented toward faculty and a mission of educating Christian thinkers, while at the same time being a very strong fundraiser,” Schrum said. “It can be difficult to find one person who has both of those skill sets.”

Schrum said the best fundraisers are typically older with many years of experience. However, Fachner said the candidates vary greatly in age. He said the committee did not limit their search to either younger or older candidates.

Over the next several weeks, the committee will interview the four candidates at undisclosed off-campus locations, which will in turn lead to their final decision.

The committee has yet to release a date they’ll announce the next president on, but they released an official statement in December saying, “The hope is that the Committee will make a recommendation to the APU Board of Trustees sometime in spring 2019, so the board can have a new president in place by July 1, 2019.”

APU Alumnus L.P. Leung Produces Lifelong Dream “The Jade Pendant”

This article originally appeared on ZU News.

For most people, getting rejected is disheartening and often a reason to give up. For L.P. Leung, it was just a hiccup on the road to achieving his dream. He spent more than 50 years on the road to making his own movie and his perseverance has finally paid off.

In the 1950s, Leung was a history major at Azusa College, before it rebranded as Azusa Pacific University. It was in one of his history classes that he discovered a story which would change his life.

In “American History of the West,” Leung read about an event called the Chinese Massacre of 1871. He had never heard of it before and wanted to find out more, but his textbook offered little information.

“It [was] just like one paragraph, no details in there. I thought it [was] kind of interesting. I wanted to find out more,” Leung said. “I went to the library and found nothing, so I could not do the term paper that I wanted to do on this particular issue.”

The topic sparked Leung’s curiosity, but he set it aside for a few years. He then attended the University of Southern California (USC) for graduate school, earning a master’s degree in accounting.

Leung didn’t know what jobs he could get with a history degree but decided he could easily find a job in accounting. The degree change worked well for him, as he spent the next 30 years working as an accountant. However, his curiosity about the Chinese massacre was not sated.

“In my free time, I went to the LA City Library to do some more research, to see if I could get some information back [from the massacre] in 1871. I found some microfiche [old newspaper clips] mentioning about the massacre,” Leung said.

Unfortunately, the only information the microfiche provided him with was the death toll of the massacre. Leung was not deterred. He kept researching. He decided to look more into Chinese immigrant life in Los Angeles in the 1870s. He read and read, finding as much information out as he could.

Leung worked for Paramount Pictures after he graduated from USC. He became enamored with the idea of making a movie about the massacre. He discussed the possibility of the movie with a producer he worked with who told him Americans were not ready for it at the time. So Leung set it aside again, until he retired more than three decades later.

In 2012, Leung was retired and bored. He needed something to do and he thought back to the story from all those years earlier. He decided to follow through with making the movie.

Leung, who is originally from Hong Kong, called an old friend who still lived there and was in the movie business. Leung’s friend told him to come to Hong Kong so they could further discuss Leung’s idea. So Leung prepared an excerpt of the story.

“I went to Hong Kong with the treatment and then he spent five minutes with me because he was so busy,” Leung said. “He said, ‘Well LP, your treatment is not good enough. You may as well write a book because that way [it’s] easier to sell to producers.’ So I came back home and I started the writing.”

The writing process proved to be challenging for Leung as Cantonese is his first language. He wrote while his wife edited his work. In 2013, the book was published, entitled “The Jade Pendant.”

After the book was published, Leung flew back to Hong Kong to see his friend again. Although his friend was unable to help him, Leung met a woman on the flight who was interested in his movie idea and wanted to help.  Her husband had just acted in a movie and he said he might know a screenwriter who could help.

Leung found the screenwriter and showed him his book. The screenwriter loved it and agreed to write the screenplay for him. This process took about a year, while they took the screenplay around to several producers, but no one was interested in it.

“Not a whole lot of love,” Leung said. “No love, in fact, to try and get people to produce it.”

Leung was dejected, but did not relent. He went back to Hong Kong to meet with another writer.

“I gave him the book and told him the story. I said if you can do it, I’d like to have this movie done in one year because I’m not a young chick anymore. At that time I was 77 years old,” Leung said.

The writer thought on it for a few weeks and then emailed Leung that he would do it. Together, they found a producer and a director and began making the movie.

“We started shooting in the end of September and we finished shooting in the beginning of November,” Leung said. “It took another year and a half for the movie for all the dumping [editing] and the subtitling before it was ready in 2017.”

The movie was finished in 2017, but only now, in February 2019, will it play on the big screen. Leung worked with Michael Gregory, the chair of APU’s Department of Cinematic Arts, and other administrators at APU to get the movie booked at Foothill Cinema Stadium 10, right across the street from APU. “The Jade Pendant” will be shown from Feb. 15-21 with three showtimes a day. Tickets can be purchased here.

[caption id="attachment_17249" align="alignright" width="1028"] The movie poster of "Jade Pendant." The movie will be shown from Feb. 15-21 with three showtimes a day at Foothill Cinema Stadium.[/caption]

“I’m so happy because I got the support of APU,” Leung said.

Leung hopes many APU students will attend. He is working with the theater to bring the ticket prices down to $5 for APU students, to give them the opportunity to learn about this unknown part of local history.

“I consider that a part of history that our schools do not want to tell because it is not a good story to tell,” Leung said. “I just want to make it an entertaining movie, at the same time being informative.”

Leung also hopes students will learn from his personal story and understand that being rejected a few times is not the end.

“One thing I hope they learn is that if you persevere, work hard, you can reach your goals in a lot of things that you can think of,” Leung said. “Perseverance helped me to go through this to write the book and the movie. If you have a goal, go ahead and do it. Pursue it. Don’t give up.”

One Man, Many Faces

This article was originally written for my Narrative Non-Fiction class at The King’s College. Photos are borrowed from darnellabraham.com.

Thousands of people stream past in the Oculus below the World Trade Center. The clock ticks and ticks, 1:05 p.m. then 1:10 p.m. This interview has already been rescheduled three times.

Finally, the man himself walks up. He is unassuming, well built, six feet flat with a healthy physique and a corny smile. He wears a black dress shirt, black slacks, black sneakers and red headphones. His face is instantly recognizable even though it belongs to several characters.

Darnell Abraham is a man of many faces. One night he is on stage in front of thousands and just weeks later, he is working a temp job. However, unlike most temps, he is not seeking a job from it. He is not down on his luck nor is he running out of money. He works as a temp because it keeps him preoccupied, a side hustle.

“I’ve come to value the importance of schedule. I used to fight it. I would go wherever the wind blew,” Darnell said. “That’s the life of the actor, we go where the work is. It’s always fun and exciting, there’s never a dull moment.”

Darnell, 32, moved to New York in 2011, two years after graduating from Azusa Pacific University in Southern California. For those two years in between graduating and moving to the opposite side of the country, he stayed at APU, working in the university advancement office. He gave up a secure job to pursue his dream of becoming a Broadway actor, accompanied by his wife Wanda.

Wanda and Darnell started dating in college, getting married the day before they graduated. While Abraham began his professional acting career, Wanda started working at The King’s College in Manhattan. She continued working there, serving as the assistant director of admissions, until 2017.

At the beginning of 2017, Darnell was booked for a nationwide tour of the Tony winning show, The Color Purple. He performed as “Mister” across the country, including shows in his native California. Wanda left her job to come with him, working as the merchandise manager for the tour. For them, this tour was a big opportunity, the biggest job Darnell had booked yet. However, he has his mind set on something bigger.

“My next goal is to get on Broadway. People ask, ‘Why Broadway? What’s so special about Broadway,” Darnell said. “For me, it’s kind of like athletics. You have college division I sports, then major league sports, and then there’s the Olympics. I like to think of Broadway as the Olympics. I’ve had chances to do division I shows and now some major league shows. I want to get the chance to compete at the Olympic level.”

Darnell thinks he’s almost there. In fact, in the past three weeks, he’s had eight separate auditions for a Broadway show. Due to the prominence of the show and the secrecy of Broadway, he asked the name of the show to be kept off the record.

While he hasn’t made it to the Olympic level yet, he’s doing everything he can to prepare for it. In between shows, he takes classes and reads as much material as he can to become a more well rounded actor. He has also built an impressive repertoire of roles in the minor or major leagues, as it were.

Aside from The Color Purple, Darnell has performed as “Coalhouse” in Ragtime, as “Martin Luther King Jr.” in I dream, as “Jake” in Sideshow, and “Nakawa” in Festival of the Lion King. He said each role brings a unique set of challenges and it’s hard to determine which one has been a favorite. After some consideration, he determines it’s a tie between “Coalhouse” and “MLK Jr.”

Darnell has played the role of “Coalhouse” four separate times. His performance has drawn rave reviews, including this one from The Boston Globe, “Darnell Abraham delivers a powerhouse performance as Coalhouse, communicating the character’s joyous embrace of life at the start and his icy, resolute fury when events spur him on to a quest for revenge.”

The role was originally written for one of Darnell’s role models, Bryan Stokes Mitchell. However, in his extensive experience performing this role, Darnell may have surpassed Mitchell’s performance. Carla Maria Verdino-Sullwold wrote, “Darnell Abraham is a riveting Coalhouse Walker, who makes the character’s transition from dignified gentleman to embittered terrorist both believable and empathetic. He delivers his big vocal numbers in a creamy baritone capable of stabbing intensity.”

Darnell said one of his favorite moments of acting came after a Ragtime performance in North Carolina.

“That was a very sensitive time for our nation, for our audience members and cast members alike. The message of the show seemed more poignant than ever,” Darnell said. “To be able to connect with the audience members after that show was special. I got to see them recognize their privilege and to see them want to change. The performance spoke to them. Those are the moments that are really special.”

However, an even more special moment for him might have been in his I Dream performance in Grand Rapids, MI. Darnell said he learned a lot about himself and MLK Jr. while studying for his role.

“I learned that we’re not too different. He puts his pants one leg at a time too, literally,” Darnell said. “I feel like if MLK can do it, then so can I. It may not look the same. MLK allowed himself to be used by God. I, as an artist, can allow myself to be used by God as well.”

This sentiment takes him back to his home, to California. Darnell was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA. His family is still all back there and to them, he’s still Tyree (he goes by his middle name, Darnell). One of the things he misses the most about home is the food. Darnell loves Mexican food and he says he can’t find any authentic Mexican cuisine in New York.

Darnell envisions moving back someday, or potentially having a home in both New York and L.A. However, for now, he and Wanda are just focused on saving up to purchase their first home here. They’re thinking about starting a family. They take it one day at a time, but set goals for themselves each year. Darnell’s current goal is just to get booked again for a show, but the goal for his Olympics seems closer than ever.

Dr. Michael Guillen speaks on "The End of Life as We Know It" and the significance of faith in today's world

This article was originally published in The Media Project, a Christian journalism publication.

Is it possible to unscramble an egg?

The audience of 21 Christian professionals, part of Mastermedia International, waited for an answer from Dr. Michael Guillen, a famed author and renowned Christian scientist. Guillen made them wait for half an hour as he delivered his story and spoke about his new book.

"The End of Life as We Know It" was just released on Oct. 16. It examines the outlook on four areas that present ethical dilemmas to society. These four topics are the web, privacy, genetic engineering and robots.

"This was one of the hardest books I've had to write. I hope it opens up people's eyes," Guillen said. "I wanted to write to help people understand all of these things."

Guillen delved into some of the experiments scientists across the country are doing, including three scientists in Minnesota and California that are attempting to make a human-animal hybrid, what he called a "human pig chimera." He said they are doing this explicitly against the wishes of the National Institutes of Health and are completely privately funded.

The implications of these experiments could be severe. Members of the audience put down their Chick-Fil-A sandwiches in shock as Guillen talked about the possible ramifications.

"I reference this quote from Arthur C. Clarke a lot, 'It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value,'" Guillen said. "Our intelligence could do us in as a species. Reason can only take us so far. We have to have wisdom too. I find wisdom in the Bible.  With wisdom we can say: we can do this, but should we?"

This story has been told over and over in pop culture. From "Jurassic Park" to "Terminator" and "Ex Machina," the theme of technology and science overpowering its creators is almost cliché. However, according to Guillen, this isn't just the movies any more.

Guillen talked about scientists working to resurrect extinct species, including the wooly mammoth. Besides that, robots have made leaps and bounds in the past decade. Just last year, the famous robot "Sophia" was granted citizenship in Saudi Arabia. According to Guillen, European legislators are considering giving human rights to robots.

"This is the world we're creating for ourselves. It's real now, folks. This is no longer science fiction," Guillen said.

It's not all dark news though. Guillen said Christians are more important than ever right now, with the chance to provide wisdom to a world so obsessed with scientific progress without considering the ramifications of their work.

If anyone would know how to bridge the gap between science and faith, it would be Guillen.

Of the five other books that Guillen has written, two fall on this subject, including "Amazing Truths: How Science and the Bible Agree." This book explores 10 deep concepts where Christianity and science converge.  

"You will be shocked by how much science and the bible agree," Guillen said. "People get so hung up on silly things like the age of the universe and don't focus on the fundamental areas where they agree."

For Guillen, the path to finding God took an atypical path. He became enamored with science at a young age before getting his B.S. in physics from UCLA and then his Ph.D. in physics, mathematics and astronomy from Cornell.

At Cornell he worked in a lab "21/7," from 6 a.m. until 3 a.m. every day. He met his wife, Laurel, while at Cornell. Guillen was in love with his work but he was unsatisfied. He explored Hinduism, Buddhism and even briefly Judaism trying to find answers. Laurel asked if he had read the Bible. He scoffed at first, but they ended up reading it together over the course of two years.

"We assume young people go to college and lose their faith. For me, it was the opposite," Guillen said. "I'll never forget the day we finished the Old Testament and started the New Testament. It was like we were sitting in the dark and someone turned the lights on."

Guillen was taken aback by the paradoxical way Jesus spoke (the meek shall inherit the earth, bless those who curse you). This struck him because he was seeing the same kind of paradoxes in his study of quantum mechanics.

Guillen and his wife accepted Christ and he never looked back. His research has strengthened his beliefs. He went on to serve as the science editor for ABC News for 14 years, appearing regularly on shows like “20/20” and “Good Morning America.”

Members of the audience marveled at Guillen’s words, serious food for thought. He ended by telling them the answer to his opening riddle. It is possible to unscramble an egg, if you feed the scramble to a chicken.

For more on Michael Guillen, check out:

www.michaelguillen.com

Men's Soccer Team Clinches Playoff Spot With Win On Senior Night

This article originally appeared in the Empire State Tribune, the student newspaper of The King’s College.

The King's College men's soccer team punched their ticket to the playoffs with a 3-0 win over Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Science. The team had a solid defensive effort, backed by two goals from freshmen striker Spencer Smith and one from sophomore midfielder Anton Soerlin.

The Lions scored in the 12th minute of the first half, as Smith was able to kick the ball just under Albany's diving goalie, with an assist from sophomore midfielder Edvin Loefgren. After the quick start, the Lions were unable to capitalize on a series of shots on goal throughout the first half and the first 15 minutes of the second half. Although they missed shots, their defense locked down, not allowing Albany to score even once.

"They did everything we asked them to," said head coach Tom Harman. "We knew this was going to be a tough game and we knew we needed our defense to step up. We knew that as long as we all did our jobs, we would win, and that's what we did. It's been a collective effort and everyone did their job great."

Harman was impressed with how his defense played today, helping set the offense up with opportunities to score. Smith took advantage of those opportunities with his two goals, his 16th and 17th goals of the season.

"I was nervous coming in to this game. I had a lot of pressure on my back, but honestly, that just motivated me," Smith said.

Smith was able to score once more in the 60th minute of the game, as a kick by another player bounced off the crossbar and landed in front of him. He put the ball into the back of the goal with ease as the goalkeeper just stood there.

Fifteen minutes later, in the 76th minute of the game, Soerlin was able to increase the lead, stealing the ball from a defender and taking advantage of the goalkeeper being out of position, sending the ball to the far side of the net with a beautiful arcing kick.

Both Smith and Soerlin have had big impacts on the team this season. Smith leads the team in goals as a freshman. However, he said he would not have been able to do so without the support and mentorship of the four seniors on the team.

These four seniors- Nick Beckman, Tom Champlin, Nolan Wolfe, and Luke Borchelt- were honored before the game on their senior night. Coach Harman presented each of them with plaques and spoke about their impact on the team.

"This season the seniors welcomed in a whole bunch of guys. They've set the tone for what we expect from our players on and off the field, what we expect from our athletes at King's," Harman said. "Without people like Craig, Ben and Luke there would be no soccer program here. There was nothing here when they started and they were the ones who saw through it and stuck to it. They've been phenomenal."

Craig Wishart played a big role in the game notching two saves. He has allowed only seven goals all season, over the course of 12 games played. Wishart has 37 saves on the season, for a saving percentage of .841. However the players all refused to take credit for their success, instead attributing it to a total team effort.

"We played amazing tonight," Soerlin said. "We started the season off well, but we got run over in our first real test of the season. That was a wake up call for us. Since then we've been working together as a team, not individual players, we're a great team. Our defense was super disciplined tonight."

With the win, the Lions have locked their spot in the postseason. Smith, Soerlin, and the rest of the team celebrated in front of a crowd of over 30 King's students at the game. However, coach Harman didn't relish in the moment with his team.

"I don't get too happy about things like that. I'm already focused on the next game," Harman said. "I'm focused on winning our next game and winning through the playoffs. Eventually, I'll think about how this is a nice achievement, but for right now, I'm thinking about who will we draw, who will we play in the playoffs, what we need to work on."

Harman said the team needs to work on slowing down their attacks a bit to make them more effective. He said they also need to work on consistency because they cannot afford to make mistakes in the playoffs.

The King’s Lions are ranked in the top 10 nationally in USCAA Division 2. If they win Conference Semi-finals, they will automatically get a bid to play at the National Championship in November, according to Wishart.

The playoffs will start on Saturday, Oct. 27.

Women's Soccer Team Celebrates Senior Day Despite Loss

This article originally appeared in the Empire State Tribune, the student newspaper of The King’s College.

Just two months ago, there wasn't going to be a women's soccer team at King's this year. After a series of incoming players decided not to come to King's, the season had a bleak outlook. The team had only six members, five shy of the 11 needed for a starting lineup.

Seniors Megan Leblanc and Hannah Hagadorn were not deterred. They helped recruit eight other King's girls to join the team, along with a new head coach.

Due to their efforts, the team was able to put a four game regular season schedule together. They started the season off 1-1, with a 2-0 win over New Rochelle and a 0-3 loss to SUNY-ESF.

On Sunday, Oct. 14, the team faced Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, losing 0-8 on their senior day. Hagadorn was not brought down by the loss.

"I thought we played pretty well. Everyone was encouraging. It can get really exhausting when we're down like that. But overall I think we played a good team game," Hagadorn said.

The Lion's defense surrendered six first half goals to Albany, who was led by senior Erin Tersegno. Hagadorn and Leblanc were taken aback by Tersegno play. At halftime, the Lions huddled and planned on how they could better defend against her.

"She's a great striker, very quick, faster than anyone on our team. We had to come up with a tactic to keep up with her, which was hard," Hagadorn said. "We did a better job of it in the second half."

The Lion's played a stronger second half. Although they were unable to get on the board, the defense gave up just two goals.

Head coach Bracey Fuenzalida said he was proud of the way the girls rallied in the second half.

"I saw no quit in them. I saw resolution. I saw enjoyment, even in the midst of a difficult circumstance. If you have that in an athlete, that means you can go pretty far with them," Fuenzalida said. "They beat us handily, but I enjoyed the fight out of our players."

Fuenzalida has only been the coach for a matter of weeks, but he said he has gotten to know the girls and has enjoyed every moment of watching the team grow during the season. When asked about the play of the two seniors on senior day, Fuenzalida had nothing but positive things to say.

"The two of them have exceptional character. They both have a strong faith and are great leaders on the team," Fuenzalida said. "Megan Leblanc went out of her way to help me from my first day coaching. I've coached many teams before, but having her to help me was incredible. I've gotten to know them both really well and I wish I had gotten to coach them all four years."

Leblanc was impressed by the way Fuenzalida was able to come in and coach the team. However she said this game felt weird to her.

"This being a final home game felt absolutely weird. I came to King's to play soccer and that's almost over," Leblanc said. "But I'll still be excited to see the program grow over the next few years."

Men's Soccer Drops Second Game Despite Solid Outing

This article originally appeared in the Empire State Tribune, the student newspaper of The King’s College.

The King's men's soccer team dropped their second game of the season against Berkeley College, 2-1, bringing their season’s record to 6-2.

The Lions had several opportunities to score in the first half, with six shots, including five shots on goal. However, they failed to capitalize on these opportunities.

"We created a lot of chances to score but we struggled to put away those chances," said junior defender Jackson Kane. "Our attacks and defense started breaking down. We made a couple sloppy mistakes and had fewer chances. We didn't give ourselves a lot of chances to win the game.”

The Lions’ one goal of the night came in the 39th minute of the first half.

Freshmen defender Diego Herrera had a free kick from over 50 yards away. He lifted the ball over all the players on the field. All they could do was watch as the ball soared in just over the Berkley goalie's hands.

"That was really cool.  I had seen something like it once, but only once before in high school," Kane said. "It's always really fun to see a guy score a goal like that. It really got us energized, but I think it also played a part in their goal right after. We relaxed too much on defense."

Berkley midfielder Carlos Leon was able to score just one minute later, tying the game 1-1, where it stayed until after halftime.

Midfielder Jean-Gardy Derineau scored for Berkley scored in the 52nd minute, giving them a 2-1 lead, which they would not surrender for the rest of the game.

“It’s obviously a disappointing result, we feel the quality within our group means we should be looking to win every game we go into,” head coach Tom Harman said. “We played well and dealt with their physicality and long direct switches of play well. However, we switched off a couple of times and got punished. We lacked the intensity when pressing in the second half and once they had a lead they made life very difficult for us.”

The Lions had just four shots in the second half, but none of them were on goal. Kane said the Lions needed to work together as a team more in the second half.

"We've got to start committing to doing things as a team," Kane said. "We were doing some things together, but the further we got up the field, the more individually we were playing. We're going to start to practice more in units and tailor that approach in the coming games."

This loss was only the second game of the season where the Lions scored less than four goals and gave up more than one goal. Harman focused on the things the team needs to work on before their next game.

“There are a lot of freshman players in our group and it’s something we have to learn, we have to be on for 90 minutes against teams,” Harman said.

The team will have their annual senior night at their next game against Vaughn. The game will be on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m. at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn.

"It should be a pretty good matchup. This team can be tough defensively, but I'm pretty confident we can win that game," Kane said. "It should be a good opportunity for our seniors to play their final home game and end their soccer career on a good note.”

Young Lions Volleyball Team Notches First Loss, Works on Chemistry

This article was originally published in the Empire State Tribune.

Down two sets and facing match point, The King's College volleyball team scrapped together a seven-point comeback run, before dropping the third set 23-25 against Penn State Hazleton.

The Lions lost the first two sets 25-27 and 5-25, dropping their first match of the season.

"We got to a point where we just weren't playing well in the second set," said Samantha Klozik, a freshmen outside hitter. "Volleyball is a mental game and sometimes it just comes down to who wants it more. You can see how much we wanted it in that comeback."

Klozik led the team with 12 kills and finished second on the team with 11 digs, also notching an ace. She is just one of six freshmen on the squad, including four of the six starters.

One of only three returners, sophomore middle hitter Hope Feller, said she was excited by the play of the freshmen during the comeback, especially after the mistake filled second set.

"It was unbelievable to watch the comeback, compared to the second set. We fought for it," Feller said. "The freshmen have been phenomenal. They all bring so much to the team, even if their numbers don't necessarily reflect it."

Feller said the team needs to start a lot faster in their next match, that the Lions could have snatched the first set if they had a better start. During the first set, each team traded points back and forth until the end. The Lions grabbed the lead twice, but not until late in the set.

Head coach Alexandra Salavitch echoed parts of Feller's assessment. She said she was proud of the scrappiness in the last set, but saw a lot of room for improvement.

"The girls need to work on their mental toughness. I saw a lot of mistakes that stemmed from mental immaturity. Mental mistakes can be contagious and we have to avoid that," Salavitch said. "These girls have the skill. The talent is there and I saw spunkiness in that run at the end. That run shows me what they can do."

This is Salavitch's third year coaching the volleyball team. She said this team feels strong compared to years past, that they have a lot of potential. Her plan for practice is to make the team run, work hard, and to reiterate the idea of scrappiness.

Aside from scrappiness, chemistry was a theme the team focused on. Even though two thirds of the team are new, Salavitch and the players feel that they have strong chemistry.

"We jelled almost instantly," Klozik said. "When I'm with the girls, I don't feel like a freshman. I feel like I've been playing with them for a long time and I'm happy to be part of a team like that."

The volleyball team will look to rebound at William Paterson University on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Churches Experience Growth Among Multiethnic Congregations

This article was originally published on apu.edu.

It’s Sunday morning and the Monrovia High School auditorium fills up rapidly. Hundreds of people find their seats as the worship service begins. Traditional gospel music fills the air, followed by a contemporary Hillsong tune. With one glance around the room, the musical juxtaposition makes perfect sense. Fellowship Monrovia’s congregation is comprised of people from different cultures, ages, and racial backgrounds. While historically each of these people groups would attend a separate church and sing their own style of music, today, Fellowship is part of a growing national trend of diverse churches.

A recent Christianity Today article featured a new study by researchers at Baylor University, which found that one in five American Christians now belongs to a multiethnic church. According to the findings, the number of these churches tripled between 1998 and 2012. Evangelical and Pentecostal churches experienced the biggest increase.

Surrounded by the multicultural landscape that makes up Southern California, Fellowship Monrovia is led by senior pastor Albert Tate, who also serves as an Azusa Pacific University board member. Mark Chase, head of life groups for Fellowship, works alongside Tate, and said the pastoral staff believes it is crucial for the church to reflect the surrounding communities it serves.

“Fellowship is leading the way,” said Chase. “We are truly a multiethnic, intergenerational church and we make sure that our worship and preaching styles are relevant to our members.” Chase believes this intentionality reminds church goers of the imago dei. “Whenever you see yourself, your culture, represented on stage or in the congregation, it helps you connect with God. You feel like ‘I too am created in the image of God.’ That's a central doctrine of Christianity,” he said.

APU campus pastor, Ta'Tyana Leonard agrees. “Being a minority, I've longed to see myself throughout scripture. I zone in on stories like the good Samaritan because I identify with them. As a minority Christian in American culture, I've tried so hard to find my place within the church,” she said. Leonard attends Mission Ebenezer Family Church in Carson. “My husband and I belong to a multiethnic church because we want to invite our friends from all over the world to come to our church and feel welcome. We thought it would be beneficial for our kids to have friends from different backgrounds as well.”

Leonard points to the origins of the church, and how the gentiles and Jews were trying to reconcile. “Before he ascends, Jesus gives the Great Commission, 'Therefore go out and make disciples of all the world,' (Matthew 28:19). The Church is based on different cultures coming together in Christ.” Leonard said that Ephesians chapter two is also imperative for understanding the church’s purpose, including evangelizing and gathering. Ephesians 2:19 says, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.”

Chase said this passage created a mandate for racial reconciliation. “Paul talks about how God reconciled the world back to himself through Christ. He tore down the dividing wall and curtain that stood between us. We no longer have race as our primary identifier, our race and ethnicity don’t go away, but as followers of Jesus we have a new primary identifier that has the power to bond us together, Christ.”

APU's campus pastors and the Office of Chapel Programs, offers events throughout the year to facilitate understanding and unity among the university community, including “Uncommon Conversations”. People gather together to talk about difficult topics including those related to race. Leonard said these discussion can mark the beginning of a reconciliation journey, which should continue at church. “If you think about the body of Christ, we have all these parts made up of people from different nations. We need each other.The body cannot function properly without all the parts working together,” she said.

Michael Mata, director of the M.A. in Transformational Urban Leadership program, affirmed that growth among multiethnic churches is a necessity. “This change is vital for churches to be a center of healing, hope, and cultivating a deep relationship with God. Our seminaries need to strive to create a multicultural experience so we can worship together,” he said.

Mata teaches at APU's Los Angeles Regional Site. He lives and attends church in Koreatown, where he serves as part of the pastoral team. His church, Los Angeles First Church of the Nazarene, is a perfect example of the trend. “My church originally started out as an English speaking church. Then we had a Korean language ministry form their own congregation, and then Spanish and Filipino. Slowly, we realized that we should all come together. For special services we gather to worship as one body, a foretaste of heaven to come,” Mata said. “We embrace our differences.”