Jason Richardson '10 lands deal on Shark Tank

This article was originally published on APU.edu.

Azusa Pacific University alumnus Jason Richardson ’10 walked onto the set of ABC’s “Shark Tank,” with his heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through his veins. “That was probably the most nerve wracking moment of my life, other than proposing to my wife,” he said. Despite the high stakes and pressure, Richardson artfully delivered his business pitch to the celebrity judges and a television audience of millions, negotiating his way to a deal with a spectacular finish.

Richardson, who holds a marketing degree from APU, came into the tank asking for $300,000 for 10 percent of his company Bad Birdie, a golf clothing brand that designs “the freshest polos in golf.” As he stood in front of the five wealthy sharks, Richardson described the inspiration behind his business. “I went into a store to buy a polo for a golf tournament and I walked out with a basic shirt. I had an epiphany that all golf polos are the same. They’re dominated by solid colors and stripes, and are very boring. I’m someone who likes to wear bolder stuff,” he said. Richardson hunted online and in retail stores for something more exciting, but couldn’t find any golf shirts that appealed to him, so he decided to create some himself. Six months later, in May 2017, Richarson launched Bad Birdie.

With no fashion industry experience, Richardson researched the steps to make polos and found a designer to help him create bold prints that would be sure to grab attention on the golf course. The challenge came in finding a manufacturer to make the shirts. His business was so small at the time, that his orders weren’t large enough to meet factory terms. He improvised, buying plain white fabric in bulk, taking it to a printer, and bringing the designed fabric to a seamstress who sewed the polos by hand in a 1,000-square-foot space.

Initially, Richardson’s company struggled to lower manufacturing costs, but he gradually brought prices down as the demand for his product skyrocketed. In his first year of business, Bad Birdie captured $72,000 in sales, then grew to $412,000 in 2018, and to more than $1 million in 2019. “People love the look. They see Bad Birdie polos for the first time and say that’s exactly what they’ve been looking for,” he said. “The majority of growth has been word of mouth. People come up to each other on the course and ask where they got their polo, what brand it is.”

While Richardson has learned a lot in the three years since starting Bad Birdie, the road hasn’t been easy. “There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes. You might think, this guy started his own company, so he’s got it made, but it never lets up. Your back is against the wall every day. That’s why I wanted to bring in an investor who has done this many times already and can help us continue to grow year after year.”

That investor is tech mogul Robert Herjavec, and winning him over required some creativity on Richardson’s part, providing an entertaining television moment for “Shark Tank” viewers. While Herjavec clearly wanted a deal, he wasn’t willing to sway from $300,000 for 25 percent of the company. In response, Richardson walked behind his set display, pulled out a putter, and proposed that the shark make a six-foot-putt for a 25 percent deal, but if he missed they would settle on 20 percent. Herjavec accepted the challenge. The other sharks jeered and jibed as Herjavec lined his shot up and it stopped just an inch short of the hole. “I may not have made the putt, but I made the deal. Jason’s a great guy and it’s a great company. I’m really looking forward to getting out there,” Herjavec said in an Instagram video.

Richardson said he is extremely excited for the partnership and where his company is headed. He is also grateful to integrate the sport he loves into his business while continuing to enjoy it as a pastime. “I try to get in at least nine holes once a week. I don’t have nearly as much time to play as when I was a student at APU,” he said. Richardson recalls his final semester as a senior in college when he only had a couple classes, so he used his extra time to play golf every morning at Rancho Duarte Golf Course with his roommates.

If it had not been for those early morning rounds on the green, Richardson’s career path might have taken a different trajectory. “There’s a letter, a little prayer to God, that I wrote in my room. A week before I went on the show, I said, ‘I’m giving this all up to you and seeing what happens.’ That’s been my mantra this whole time,” Richardson said. “I have the huge privilege of running this company. At the end of the day, I’m trusting God. I’m not in this alone.”

Zoombombing, phishing and smishing: Scams abound during COVID-19

This article originally appeared in ZU News.

Over the past few weeks, the Azusa Pacific community has received a number of emails from Information and Media Technology (IMT) about increased hacking attempts. As students and faculty transitioned to an online learning environment, they were particularly vulnerable to different forms of phishing, smishing and Zoombombing.

According to Shawn Kohrman, security architect and executive director of Information Services, IMT was informed by numerous faculty and students of suspicious emails, including many from an APU email address.

“We saw a significant number come in, several thousands of them,” Kohrman said. “They all had the same look, feel and format. The subject, the body and the destination were the same. They would go to a hack real estate company website.”

Kohrman said the timing was particularly bad because of the new fully online environment. The APU community is no longer protected by the university’s firewall since people are on their own private Wi-Fi networks at home.

“It was a perfect time for an email like that to strike because everything is up in the air. Business as usual is not business as usual. Whoever launched that attack timed it well, to catch people when they were at their most vulnerable,” Kohrman said. “Before that, we hadn’t had a compromised account in almost two years.”

The coronavirus (COVID-19) also served as a new opportunity for scams related to it.

“There’s been a huge uptick in COVID-19 related scams and phishing attempts. They’re not just themed COVID-19. They’re about the stimulus package, medical supplies or apps that pretend they’re COVID-19 tracker apps, but they’re actually hijacking apps,” he said.

There has also been an escalation in three other types of hacking. 

The first is smishing, short for SMS phishing, where a person will get a text from a random number about an issue with a package delivery or something that gets them to click on a link which installs malware on their phone.

The second is robocalls, where people or robots call a person’s phone and try to solicit information. These calls are trying to be stopped, but carriers are struggling with the volume of calls.

The third is a new phenomenon called Zoombombing, where people who are not a part of a group will invade their Zoom meetings and mess around.

“One of the primary ways Zoombombing has been successful is because people were sharing their meeting links in public ways. They were posting them on social media or sending them out in other public venues. The hacker community was monitoring. They were looking for those,” Kohrman said. “When they felt like messing around, they would jump in and do whatever they were going to do just to be obnoxious.”

Zoom has added more security features to prevent this, including password protection and waiting rooms.

Kohrman said hackers generally are focused on two things.

“The first is credential harvesting, where they set up a website that looks like our authentication page for instance, and they’re saying, ‘Your account expires or your password expired or we’re going to cut you off.’ It builds a sense of urgency and fear,” Kohrman said. “They play off fear as the primary emotion they work with. That gets the user to click on the link and they put in their username and password thinking that’s what they have to do to get access.”

This is how hackers got access to an APU email address. When a hacking email comes from an address within the institution, according to Kohrman, it looks less suspicious and people are more likely to click on it. 

After the spike in phishing emails, Kohrman implemented an external tag on all emails coming from outside the university. This tag appears in the subject line, so you’ll know before you open an email that it’s from someone outside of the organization, forming a first line of defense.

The other area hackers are focused on is malware.

“That link takes them to a website that will try to inject malware or viruses or Trojans onto their computers as soon as they load the webpage without having to do anything else,” Kohrman said.

Having all of your programs up to date with their security features and having antivirus software is helpful, but nothing is 100 percent effective, according to Kohrman. He said the most effective defense is not technology, but people themselves.

“If you get an email that you’re unsure of, send it to spam@apu.edu and the support desk or myself will review it and get back to you pretty quickly. If you get a suspicious text, take a screenshot of it and send it to us,” Kohrman said.

A lot of things are common sense, but it helps to be extra vigilant, according to Kohrman. 

“If you have accounts that support multi-factor authentication, use that. Facebook does, as do pretty much all social media outlets,” Kohrman saiad. “Your personal email is one of your biggest prize secrets because that’s what attackers are always trying to get. Your personal email account is where all your forgotten password and reset password emails go to. If someone gets ahold of your personal email account, they can do password resets on everything that you have access to.” 

Another best practice, according to Kohrman, is to hover over a link and see if the destination matches what it says before you click it.

Kohrman recommended two other methods to prevent hacking.

“Always use strong passphrases. String some words together that means something to you. It could be a song lyric or a favorite verse or it could be four or five random words that mean nothing. But having that password length is more important than the complexity,” Kohrman said.

Finally, to prevent password theft or loss, you can use a password manager. Kohrman recommended LastPass because they don’t have access to your information. LastPass has a free option, or a cheap premium subscription.

“Hackers will always try to take advantage of a crisis. They will always try to leverage fear. They’ll always try to scare you into something and build a sense of urgency,” Kohrman said. “If you have questions, if you don’t feel right, if the hairs on the back of your neck rise, follow your intuition and when in doubt ask the support desk. We’re here to help. The end goal is to keep the community and our families safe.”

That's debatable: Getting dressed is still necessary

This article originally appeared in ZU News.

Perhaps the most insidious element of COVID-19 is the effect it has on our productivity. As we work from home (WFH), it can be tempting to stay in our pajamas all day, but this is much worse for you than it seems.

During the first couple of weeks back home, I slept in until nine or ten pretty much every day. Since I don’t have in person classes anymore, I figured there’s no reason to get ready early. 

This resulted in me getting good sleep, but not being nearly as productive. I fell behind on assignments and had to stay up late to finish them on time. Then I would sleep in again because I was up so late. In mere days, I had transformed my habits for the worse and my productivity was paying for it.

Let’s face it — while we are not in school, we are not out of school. This means that we still have work to do. We can’t throw in the towel just yet. 

That’s when I rediscovered the importance of routine. 

Waking up to your first alarm, making your bed, brushing your teeth, showering, drinking a cup of coffee and the other basic parts of your morning routine are all essential to productive days. Getting dressed is just as important as all the other parts.

According to a New York Times article, vesting up in professional attire is a form of control, especially when everything else is so out of control. 

“The traditional suit … was a form of protective gear, a means for demarcating boundaries between public and private, work and leisure, the exigencies of the corporate world and the intimate needs of one’s family life,” Guy Trebay said in the article.

Cards on the table, I haven’t been putting on a traditional suit each day to go to online classes. I’m not a businessman. I’m a college student. I’ve been getting dressed each day in outfits I would normally wear to school (well warmer versions of them since it’s far colder in Reno, Nev. than Azusa) — flannels, sweaters, t-shirts, jeans, chinos, etc. 

While this might not seem much nicer than sweats and oversized comfy shirts, it is noticeably different. That’s the key, according to Mason Donovan in a Fast Company article.

“When I change into casual clothes, it’s a physical and visual distinction, and it helps me set boundaries … Otherwise you could feel like work never ends. Your personal life could take over work time or your work commitments can take over personal time. Clothing helps create a distinct separation,” Donovan said.

Part of a good routine is a good work-life balance. Since I can’t go to the library or a coffee shop like I usually would to study, I needed to figure out a different way to separate work and relaxation. Getting dressed in real clothes is the perfect method.

Once you’re dressed, you can begin your work day. Then when you’re done working, you can change back into your sweats and unwind. It’s that simple.

But if you want to make it more complicated, you can look at all the other benefits of getting dressed.

According to a GQ article, getting dressed can improve your mood and restore a sense of normalcy. As the world reels in the aftermath of the coronavirus, we could all use some normalcy.

Staying in your pajamas keeps you stuck in a rut, while getting dressed sets the mood for a new day, according to a Refinery 29 article. 

Finally, one of the silver linings of not seeing anyone is that no one has to see you. Since no one sees what you wear, you can try new outfits that you wouldn’t normally wear out of the house. Put on some skinny black jeans with a Hawiaan button down or plaid dress pants with a striped shirt. No one will judge you because they can’t see you (family excluded). Maybe you’ll find a killer combo that you wouldn’t have otherwise discovered and now you have it in your arsenal of fire fits.

I know it’s easier to stay in your smelly pajamas all day, but doing the right thing isn’t always easy. Get dressed and watch as your mood and productivity improves. We’ve only got three weeks left. End the semester strong. 

Best of the decade: The 1980s

This article originally appeared in ZU News.

As we continue to wait for sports to come back, hopefully soon, we are continuing our series of looking into the past and analyzing the best sports moments of every decade. After sharing the best moments across the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL in the 1970s last week, here are the best moments of the 1980s.

MLB: Kirk Gibson’s home run

As a die hard San Francisco Giants fan, it’s hard for me to admit that the best moment in professional baseball of the 80s belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it’s true. This pain is eased by the fact that the Dodgers haven’t won the World Series since 1988. It was during that very same fall classic that outfielder Kirk Gibson made history with an infamous walk-off home run.

Gibson had just signed with the Dodgers earlier that year after nearly a decade with the Detroit Tigers. He was always a good player and had even helped the Tigers win the World Series in 1984. However, it wasn’t until he came to LA that Gibson reached his peak. During 1988, Gibson had his best season ever, hitting .290 with 25 home runs and 76 RBIs, while stealing 31 bases and scoring 106 times. These numbers netted Gibson his first and only MVP award. 

However, even with his tremendous year, the Dodgers were still heavy underdogs against the Oakland A’s. The A’s won 104 games that year and swept the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS. Led by the Bash Brothers, José Canseco and Mark McGwire, the A’s had better than 2-1 odds to win the series. Canseco was the AL MVP that year, after slugging 42 home runs and  124 RBIs along with 40 stolen bases. McGwire wasn’t far behind with 32 homers and 99 RBIs. The A’s also had three top tier starting pitchers and the game’s best closer in Dennis Eckersley, who had notched 45 saves that year.

Fittingly, Eckersley was the man on the mound when Gibson came up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 1. Eckersley had gotten two outs, with one man on first when Gibson came up to bat. It was all down to him. 

Oh yeah, there’s one more thing, Gibson was injured. He had suffered a severely pulled hamstring in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Mets. Gibson wasn’t even supposed to play at all that night. But with just one out remaining, Gibson went in and prayed for a miracle. 

After a couple foul balls and a few taken pitches, Gibson was staring at a full count from the game’s best closer with all of Dodger Stadium on their feet. Eckersley made a mistake down the middle and Gibson used all the power he had in his arms to crush the ball over the left field wall. As the crowd roared and his dugout emptied, Gibson jogged, limping the whole way, around the bases. He was the hero of the game and the Dodgers would go on to win their first World Series since 1981.

NBA: Magic Johnson comes in clutch 

The greatest franchise in the history of the NBA is, without a doubt, the Los Angeles Lakers. The greatest dynasty of the NBA is, arguably, the Lakers during the 80s (Bulls fans will fight you on this since they had six championships in the 90s, but the Lakers won five championships and had two more finals appearances). The greatest moment of the Lakers dynasty came in the opening year of the decade. 

The Lakers had established a 3-2 lead in the 1980 NBA Finals over the Philadelphia 76ers. However, in Game 5, Lakers superstar and reigning MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33.4 points and 13.6 rebounds per game in the finals, had sprained his ankle and was out for Game 6. This put all the pressure in the world on rookie sensation Earvin “Magic” Johnson. 

Johnson came in clutch with the performance of a lifetime. During Game 6, Johnson scored a series high 42 points while snatching 15 rebounds, dishing out 7 assists, thieving 3 steals and even notching one block, while playing all five positions on the court. The Lakers beat the 76ers 123-107 and took the series 4-2. It established the Lakers dynasty and Magic Johnson as a legend.

NFL: The catch

I’m a bit biased here since I’m also a San Francisco 49ers fan, but any football fan would tell you that the 80s belonged to the Niners. San Francisco took home the Lombardi Trophy four times during the decade, once in the beginning, once in the middle and twice to close it out. Led by Joe Montanta, the best moment of the 80s for the Niners actually came in the NFC Championship, not the Super Bowl.

The 49ers were down 21-27 against the Dallas Cowboys with less than a minute left on the clock. The ball was snapped and Montana rolled right, scrambling for what seemed like forever as Cowboys defenders swarmed him. With legendary defensive end Ed “Too Tall” Jones in his face, Montana threw a ball to the back of the end zone that everyone thought he was just throwing away, except he wasn’t. 

San Francisco’s 6’4’ wide receiver Dwight Clark snatched the ball out of the air for the game winning touchdown. The reception became known as “the catch” and was recently named as the second greatest football play of all time. Clark became a legend and the 49ers went on to win the Super Bowl against the Bengals, and three more before the decade ended.

NHL: The “Miracle on Ice”

First of all, I don’t watch hockey at all. I’ve seen a couple games in my life and was more confused than I was after the Seahawks passed on the goal line in Super Bowl XLIX. But even I have heard of “the miracle on ice.” Disney made a movie about it after all. 

Second, technically this shouldn’t be on the list since it wasn’t an NHL game; it was in the Olympics. However, if anyone tells you there was a bigger moment in hockey in the 1980s than the miracle on ice, they are a liar. Okay, the Wayne Gretzky trade was a distant second place, but it still didn’t come close. So we’re making an exception.

Now that we’re through with all of that, let’s dive into what happened. 

In the 1980 Winter Olympics, the Soviet hockey squad was heavily favored to win the gold medal. They had won the previous four gold medals, dating back to 1964 and hadn’t even dropped a single Olympic hockey game since 1968. Meanwhile the U.S. team was a joke, seeded seventh and comprised of college players. The average age on the team was just 22-years-old.

While they lacked experience, the team made up for it with determination and perseverance. They went undefeated with four victories and one tie in the opening round, advancing to the medal round. Then on Feb. 22, 1980, the Americans took on the Soviets in front of a sold-out crowd.

The U.S.S.R struck first with a goal by Valery Krotov. American Buzz Schneider answered with a goal for the U.S. midway through the first period. Sergei Makarov responded with another goal for the Soviets, but the Americans tied it again at 2-2 off a goal from Mark Johnson with just one second remaining in the period. 

In the second period, Russia outshot the U.S. 12-2, but American goalie Jim Craig saved all but one goal, as Russia took a 3-2 lead. The Soviets held that lead until nine minutes into the final period as Johnson scored again after a Soviet penalty.  Then just a minute and a half later, Mike Eruzione smacked a 25-foot shot into the back of the net and the U.S. took a 4-3 lead. They spent the final 10 minutes doing everything they could to keep the Soviets from scoring again. 

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the crowd chanted “five, four, three, two, one,” and Al Michaels gave what is probably his most renowned sports call ever as he yelled “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!” resulting in the name, the “Miracle on Ice.” The U.S. won the game and went on to defeat Finland in the finals to win the gold medal.

***

The best of the decade series continues next week with the 1990s.

How to stay spiritually active from home

This article was originally published on APU.edu.

Amidst COVID-19, as Azusa Pacific University students returned home and began online classes, they had to adjust to life without many of the constants that helped sustain them spiritually while on campus, including chapel. APU students usually go to chapel three times a week, learning from renowned pastors and worshiping alongside thousands of their peers. Many students did not realize the chapel before spring break would be their last for some time. While navigating so many changes and uncertainties, a strong relationship with God is perhaps now more important than ever. With this in mind, the Spiritual Life team created a plan to offer one chapel a week online and created a podcast dedicated to helping students keep their walk with Jesus steady.

“None of us could have anticipated how this year would unfold,” said Coba Canales, Ed.D., dean of Spiritual Life. “We continue to place our trust in God. We’re strengthened by the promise of His presence with us and the Holy Spirit’s guidance.” To support students through this time, Canales and the campus pastors film one live chapel a week on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Students can watch it in real time, or watch it later on YouTube. “We remain committed to providing resources, spiritual care, and encouragement to our students.”

In a recent online chapel service, Ta’Tyana Leonard, associate director of Corporate Worship and campus pastor, dove into the passage of Luke 22:39-44 and explored the similarities between Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Olives and our situation today. “The coronavirus has caused anxiety and fear in our communities. It’s shut down schools, churches, and even cities,” she said. “But I see hope in this as well. I see families spending time together, more than they ever have. I see churches getting creative and spreading the Gospel more than ever. I also see Christians needing to rely and trust in the Lord in ways they’ve never needed to before. Even though it feels like God is not answering our prayers in the way we want Him to, just like in the life of Jesus, God is keeping promises right now.”

To supplement chapel, the Spiritual Life team added a podcast series entitled, “Weekly Rhythms,” with four episodes so far. In the fourth episode, Wesley Parker Reed, discipleship coordinator and campus pastor, offered a piece of advice. “Spiritual disciplines are Christian practices that remind us that we are inherently spiritual beings who are desperately in need of connection with the presence of God to truly live an abundant life through all seasons,” Reed said. “They’re habits that create a very real space for God to work in our thoughts, our feelings, and even our circumstances. They’re ways for us to work with the Holy Spirit, whose desire is to cultivate spiritual growth within us.” Reed suggested students use this time to practice spiritual disciplines and grow their faith.

Canales offered another idea for students to practice during this time—contemplation. “Take advantage of this time to sit back and ask big questions. God, what have you been doing over the last year of my life and during my time at APU? Where have I seen you at work? Who am I and am I who I want to be at this point?” Canales said. “We don’t usually ask these questions because we’re busy running from one class to the next, or from work to hanging out with friends. Our schedules, especially as college students, are impossibly hectic. Right now, it’s different. Build in a space for contemplation, reflection, Scripture reading and prayer.”

Canales recommends reading the Psalms because they capture every range of human experience and emotion. He also suggests a verse to reflect upon: 2 Timothy 1:7, which reads “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” “That’s important to remember. We should not be driven by fear. We should recognize that God is still with us, even during this time,” he said. “For that reason, I also recommend our university passage, John 14. At the end of it, Jesus talks about giving peace to us and not being afraid. God is still giving peace to us through it all.”

The Spiritual Life team is available for students remotely so they can receive spiritual care, including pastoral counseling and prayer requests. APU’s Contemporary Chapel Band created a playlist for students to listen to on Spotify or Apple Music while they work from home. Students can find additional resources on the new Together APU site designed to keep students engaged through virtual community.

April entertainment guide: What's coming to streaming services

This article originally appeared in ZU News.

While social distancing measures and stay inside orders remain in place, it’s easy to get a bit restless. However, all the free time does allow for something Azusa Pacific students might not normally have time for — binge watching.

Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Amazon Prime are all adding tons of hit movies and new bingeworthy shows in the next month. We’ve broken them down by streaming service so you can plan out what to watch.

Netflix

As usual, Netflix is adding dozens of titles on the first of the month, but this is no April fools prank. There are many award winning movies and series all being released on the same day. 

For comedy lovers, Netflix is adding two comedy specials: “David Batra: Elefanten I Rummet” and “The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show.” The platform is also bringing back all six seasons of hit sitcom “Community,” a must watch lighthearted show that stars Donald Glover before he became Childish Gambino. Netflix is also adding one of the greatest comedy movies of all time:“The Hangover.” Even if you saw it 10 years ago, it’s just as dumb and funny now.

If you’re more of an action fan, Netflix has you covered. The entire “Lethal Weapon” series is being released on April 1, and no, you’re not too old for that. “The Matrix” trilogy is also coming back, along with hit movies “Deep Impact,” “Salt” and “Sherlock Holmes.”

For drama fans, Netflix is adding academy award winning film, “The Social Network.” Even if you don’t like Facebook, this one is a must watch. Other dramas include hit Christian movie “God’s Not Dead,” Martin Scorsese classic “Taxi Driver” and teenage drama “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

Movies for the rest of the month include “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” (April 2), recent hit “Angel Has Fallen” (April 4), animated gold “Despicable Me” (April 16), best picture winner “The Artist” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” (April 25).

Netflix will also release more than 50 original films, shows, comedy specials, documentaries, and family shows. Notable Netflix originals include “Extraction” starring Chris Hemsworth (April 24), “Tigertail” an autobiographical feature from “Parks and Rec’s” Alan Yang (April 10) and a killer comedy special in “Chris D’Elia: No Pain.”

Here is the full list of titles coming to Netflix in April.

Hulu

In case you didn’t know, all college students can get Hulu for free with a Spotify subscription. So you should definitely have access to all of the great titles coming to Hulu in April.

On April 1, Hulu is releasing comedy-western classic “Blazing Saddles,” post-apocalyptic action flick “The Book of Eli,” Steve Carell comedy “Get Smart,” both volumes of Tarantino’s “Kill Bill,” young Tom Cruise hit “Risky Business,” the original “Spider-Man” and horror-comedy “Zombieland.”

Unfortunately, Hulu is only releasing a couple noteworthy movies during the rest of the month. Fortunately enough, these include the most recent best picture “Parasite” (April 8) and Kevin Bacon classic “Footloose” (April 29).

Hulu will also release new seasons of “Chopped,” “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives,” “House Hunters,” “Married at First Sight,” and “Property Brothers” on April 1. The rest of the month will also see the series premieres of “The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart” (April 14) and “Mrs. America” (April 15).

Here is a full list of titles coming to Hulu in April.

HBO

While HBO never adds as many titles as the other services, the ones they add are almost always big name movies and shows. This month is no exception for the Home Box Office.

HBO is releasing several original shows and movies, including “Run” (April 12), a show about a woman who runs away from her life with a college sweetheart, and “Bad Education” (April 25), a film based on the true story of the largest single public school embezzlement scandal in history starring Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Ray Romano and Alex Wolff.

HBO will also release four hits from 2019. These include “Good Boys” (April 4), “IT: Chapter Two” (April 11), “The Art of Racing in the Rain” (April 18) and “Stuber” (April 19).

Other big movies coming to HBO on April 1 include the raunchy “American Pie” series, the first three “Die Hard” action flicks, Robert Downey Jr. drama “The Judge,” psychological thriller “The Lovely Bones,” Vin Diesel hit “The Pacifier,” best picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire,” critically acclaimed “Sophie’s Choice,” Jonah Hill comedy “War Dogs” and the original “X-Men.”

Here is a full list of titles coming to HBO in April.

Amazon Prime

If you don’t have an Amazon Prime subscription, what are you doing with your life? If you do, Amazon’s got you covered with an extensive list of titles coming out in April. 

First, get your James Bond fix with 21 installations from 007. These include “Goldfinger,” “A View To A Kill,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” “Die Another Day,” “Dr. No,” “For Your Eyes Only,” “From Russia With Love,” “Goldeneye,” “Licence to Kill,” “Live And Let Die,” “Moonraker,” “Never Say Never Again,” “Octopussy,” “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” “The Living Daylights,” “The Man With The Golden Gun,” “The Spy Who Loved Me,” “The World Is Not Enough,” “Thunderball,” “Tomorrow Never Dies” and “You Only Live Twice.” 

Other hit movies coming to Prime include Will Smith thriller “I am Legend” (April 1), Whitney Houston romance “The Bodyguard” (April 1), Cannes Film Festival winner “Invisible Life” (April 3), Sylvester Stallone’s 800th action movie “Rambo: Last Blood” (April 10) and black and white cult horror “The Lighthouse” (April 16). 

Prime will release several new and debut seasons of shows, but “Bosch” is the only noteworthy one. Season six of “Bosch” will come out on April 17.

Here is a full list of what’s coming to Prime in April.

The impact of the coronavirus on an APU senior

This article was originally published on APU.edu.

As I drove away from University Village last week, I looked back at Azusa Pacific University’s East Campus for the last time in the foreseeable future. This had been my home for the past four years, minus one summer and a semester away, and all of a sudden, I had to say goodbye. I had to abruptly leave my roommates, my friends, my classes, my jobs, my independence, and my campus with only a week of warning. Everything seemed so sure for the end of my senior year, the end of my 16 years of education, and then it wasn’t. The coronavirus took a lot from me, and countless other seniors at APU and across the country, but it could not take one thing — the memories.

I remember when I arrived on campus in late August 2016. I had been to APU only twice before, once for a preview weekend and once for orientation. I had no idea what to expect over the next four years. I just hoped I would make good friends and grow as a student, a person, and a Christian. The first of these concerns was alleviated when I moved into my dorm room in Smith Hall and met my two roommates, Garrett and Jonathan Davis, who would become two of the best friends I have ever had.

Though in some ways it seems long ago, I can still remember many things from freshman year. My roommates and I would pull pranks on each other and our RA. We would stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. every night because we didn’t have classes until 11 a.m. We would feast on massive Mexicali Grill burritos and show each other countless memes. I don’t think I could go back to living in a dorm now if you paid me, with the community bathrooms and lack of a kitchen, but I treasure the time I had in Smith Hall.

After a summer back home in Reno, Nevada, I returned to APU for my sophomore year. I lived with the same roommates and revelled in the space University Park offered. Each day, I would venture to West Campus where most of my journalism and honors humanities classes took place. I would get into heated debates with my honors friends in colloquy over Dante or Thomas Hobbes, then I would head into my sports communication class where we got into many arguments about our favorite football and basketball players. Though they were vastly different subjects, I loved them both. One of my favorite memories came in the sports communication class when we had the opportunity to attend a LA Clippers game, talk to their head of PR, and sit in on a press conference with head coach Doc Rivers. This experience reinforced my dream of becoming a sports journalist.

Nothing was as impactful in shaping this dream as my time at APU’s student newspaper, ZU News. I began as a staff writer in the fall of freshman year and wrote so many articles that the staff advisor, Kent Walls, hired me that spring as the opinion editor. During my sophomore year, I helped student media transition from four separate outlets to one convergent entity. We rebranded everything with the name ZU, reflecting our motto that we were the student voice of APU. The newspaper, which had gone by the name The Clause for more than 50 years, became ZU News. It was our “baby,” and we student journalists were very proud of the work we did. I served as the news editor my sophomore year, and after a semester away in New York City, I returned and became editor-in-chief. My experience working alongside professional journalists as a video production intern at Newsweek created a higher set of standards for ZU News, and we improved quickly. Stories came out at a much faster pace and students watched their readership climb.

While I valued my experience in New York, I was delighted to be back at APU, living with one of the same roommates and a couple other friends. We moved into a new apartment in University Village, which became a refuge after insanely long days of working at three different jobs. It was great to take a few classes that were unavailable in New York, including I & II Samuel and hiking. Hiking off of Glendora Mountain Road and seeing the incredible mountains just miles away from the urban environment was awesome. On one particular hike, I remember looking out over the San Gabriel Valley and thinking that this might be a nice place to call home even after graduation.

I stayed on campus over the summer and remained in the same apartment for senior year. Two new roommates moved in and our apartment was never the same. There were many late nights with lots of pointless yelling and lots of pranks pulled — there was never a dull moment. This made homework hard to finish at times, but I managed to complete my last general education, public relations, and journalism classes.

This final semester began on a high note, as I accepted a position with Teach For America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending education inequality across the country. I found out I would be teaching English in Nashville, which meant the next few months in Azusa would be my last. Then COVID-19 struck. Everything changed. At first, classes moved online and we were allowed to remain on campus. Then just a week later, we were informed we had to return home and the May commencement ceremonies were canceled.

While I understood the rationale behind these decisions, and realized college students across the nation were impacted in the same way, that did not take away from the pain of having to bid farewell to my friends and my home. I am still trying to figure out how to cope with the fact that I may never see many of my friends, coworkers, and professors again. I am coming to terms with the fact that I may never get to walk across the graduation stage in front of my family, though I know the university is exploring ways to honor graduates. I am adjusting to the worldchanging impact that the coronavirus has had in my life and those of people all over the world. However, in the aftermath of COVID-19, there is solace in knowing that I will always have these memories, and many more, from my time as a Cougar. Just because the ending is far from what I wanted, my college experience at Azusa Pacific changed my life for the better, and I’m trusting God with my future.

How the coronavirus has impacted local churches

This article was originally published in ZU News.

Over the past two weeks, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has shut down many institutions, and churches were no exception. Houses of worship, much like businesses and schools have had to transition to an online only format.

This includes several prominent churches in the San Gabriel Valley where thousands of Azusa Pacific students normally attend on any given Sunday during the school year. Notably, Fellowship Monrovia, Foothill Church and One & All Church (formerly Christ’s Church of the Valley) all began their online-only services on March 15, which they will continue indefinitely, until large gatherings are permitted again.

Despite the tumultuous nature of the past three weeks — including the new phenomenons of social distancing and toilet paper hoarding — Foothill Church Lead Pastor Chris Lewis is not afraid. 

“We don’t have to be anxious. We don’t have to be afraid. Our God is with us. Rather than hoarding, what if we were sacrificing? Rather than being restless, we’re restful,” Lewis said in a sermon.

Lewis suggested the members of his church should still be good neighbors during this time. He gave the example of someone who had an abundance of supplies and shared it with their community, saying the church should follow their example, helping and sharing in the ways they could.

Albert Tate, lead pastor of Fellowship Monrovia and a member of APU’s Board of Trustees, led his church’s first online only service with a small group of pastors and staff around him. He was not shy about acknowledging the changes the church is going through. 

“We want to just be prayerful as we navigate new normals, and I can’t think of a better thing to do when trying to navigate new normals than go to the one whose always been consistent, go to the one whose always been faithful, go to the one whose always been there, and that is Jesus Christ,” Tate said in a sermon.

Both Tate’s and Lewis’ sermons were available to be live streamed or watched any time after online. One & All Church has also made their sermons available online, taught by Lead Pastor Jeff Vines, who hopes there may be some good that comes out of these times.

“The cross is a reminder that we have our hope and our security in something that no disease could ever touch and we have each other. This is why our community is strong. There’s going to be a lot of people right now searching, just like after 9/11 … and I just hope that somehow in the midst of all this that people will seek God as they sought him in the past and their eyes would be opened to his truth,” Vines said in a Facebook video.

The coronavirus has had an equally large impact on the Catholic church of Los Angeles. According to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, “All Roman Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will be closed until further notice because of the coronavirus outbreak, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez announced Tuesday, March 24.”

On a smaller scale, COVID-19 has impacted APU and the university’s regular practices led by the Office of Spiritual Life. The university announced all events, including chapels, would be canceled for the rest of the semester on March 12.

However, the Office of Spiritual Life is still hosting one online chapels on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Recordings of chapel programs can be found on YouTube. 

While the coronavirus has taken away many traditional forms of worship and services, these online measures allow for APU students and all people to still receive the spiritual care they need.

Michael Lee '90 runs his race

Michael Lee ’90 flew headfirst in the icy slush and tumbled down the ski slope, hearing a snapping sound as he landed on his neck. Nearby skiers quickly called for rescue, and Lee was rushed to the hospital to receive a diagnosis that would change his life—a fractured C5 and partial paralysis in his left arm.

As an avid skier and runner, Lee initially felt terrified, and called out to God in his despair. “I said to Him, ‘God, no matter what I'm facing, your goodness is not on trial here. Whether I am healed or not in the way that I want to be, you're still good and you are going to cause this to work together for good in my life,” Lee said. “I started crying, but they were tears of joy.”

Lee’s response of steadfast trust stemmed from years of journeying with God, beginning when he arrived at Azusa Pacific University in 1986 as a new believer, eager to learn more. As a student, he played on the soccer team, joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, served as a resident advisor, and participated in a discipleship group led by former President Jon Wallace, DBA—as the APU community strengthened his faith in God. Lee’s mentoring relationship with Bible professor Bruce Baloain, Ph.D., led him to add a Biblical studies major on top of his business degree.

As his relationship with Christ grew, Lee wanted to share the Gospel with others. When he received an opportunity to work for the Duncan Toys Company and became a professional yo-yoer, a unique ministry emerged. Over time, he shared his testimony through yo-yoing to more than 1.7 million children in all 50 states and four continents, even performing three times at the White House. Lee saw God moving through his ministry—cultivating an even deeper faith in Him.

Following his yo-yoing career, Lee opened his own business in Seattle where he helps companies find administrative staffing. After a long week of work at his new job, on Valentine’s Day in 2016, Lee decided to go skiing, a decision that would alter the course of his life.

When he woke up in the hospital the day after the crash, an elder from his church stood by his bed, praying over him. Those prayers were heard. Two days later, Lee was released from the hospital with just a neck brace.

“My neurosurgeon said my neck had broken in just the right way,” Lee said. “He thought I might need surgery at first, but he determined the neck brace would be enough.”

With the help of meals from his small group and the care of his roommate, Lee began the slow road to recovery, trusting God along the way. After undergoing physical therapy, during his final appointment with the neurosurgeon, he received clearance for physical activities.

Just six months after his accident, Lee stood at the start line of the Spartan Race, wondering what he had gotten himself into. In contrast to popular races like the Tough Mudder, the Spartan presents even more physically challenging obstacles. If participants cannot successfully navigate an obstacle, they must complete 30 burpees before moving on. Many failed obstacles and more than 200 burpees later, Lee crossed the finish line in last place. Most importantly, he finished the race.

Lee decided to try it again, and again. Although he continued to finish near the back of the pack at first, he kept at it. He started to get better, train more, and work harder, as his rankings steadily improved until he achieved his first podium.

Lee went on to earn three more podium spots in 2018 and five in 2019, including a first place finish in his last race of the year. So far in 2020, Lee has competed in four races, placing among the top five competitors in all of them.

“I’ve had two races this year where I went head-to-head with Kevin Gilloti, a member of the Spartan Pro Team,” said Lee. “I was running neck and neck with him. I was pushing him and I couldn't believe it.”

Looking back, Lee said there is no way he could have predicted he would be here after his accident, when he cried out to God in his hospital bed. His trust in God, developed through his journey at APU, pushed him to keep moving forward.

“I want to use my Spartan journey to inspire others to run their race: I believe all things are possible to those who believe. God is able to do exceedingly more than we ask or imagine,” he said. “If this 52-year-old man can survive a near fatal accident, come back, complete 85 Spartan races, and thrive, others can too. What’s your race and how can you run it?”

Azusa Pacific shuts down

This article originally appeared in ZU News and was cowritten with Ruby McAuliffe and Cheyenne Jiminez.

On Tuesday, Azusa Pacific President Paul Ferguson announced a series of changes that will impact the APU community. According to Ferguson, students will need to move out of university housing, dining services will shut down, classes will be suspended for one week, and commencement, summer action teams and study away programs will be canceled.

There are still no confirmed COVID-19 cases within Azusa, APU’s Azusa campus or the regional campus, according to the email. However, APU is working with its government and health partners to help stop any potential spread. The President’s Cabinet and the APU Critical Incident Response Team (CRIT) are moving forward with additional actions. 

 Housing

Students are required to move out of all university housing by the end of March. Those who live in University Residence Halls must leave by March 22. Those in University apartments must leave by March 27. The email said that there will be an “exception process for cases of hardship, which will likely involve moving to a different residence.”

Vice President Shino Simons will update students with further details.

Students within campus housing will receive a “prorated housing credit for the 5 weeks remaining in the spring 2020 semester,” according to the email. This housing credit can be applied to fall 2020 housing fees or can be refunded for seniors graduating in May.

Additional information from Student Financial Services will be provided to students and parents before May 1. 

 Commencement

Commencement was originally scheduled for May 2 but is now canceled as well. 

“In keeping with many other colleges and universities, the prospect of significant restrictions to travel and gathering of people means we cannot guarantee our ability to deliver in-person Commencement activities during this period,” Ferguson wrote. 

According to the email, Interim Provost Rukshan Fernando and the Office of the Provost will work with the SGA to create a way to honor graduates. However, there will not be an in-person ceremony before the next scheduled Commencement on Dec. 19, 2020.

 Dining Services

Dining services will also be closing on March 25, as opposed to the previously scheduled May 1. To comply with state and county guidelines, pick-up and/or mobile orders will still be made available on select East and West Campus eateries until March 25. Non-seniors who currently have a dining plan will have unspent dining points allocated toward a Fall 2020 dining plan. Graduating seniors will be eligible for a refund.

 Classes Suspended

According to the email, all classes will be suspended for the remainder of this week, from March 17-22. This break will allow students an opportunity to return home before resuming school.

“Given the anticipated disruption for a large number of undergraduate students moving out of University housing,  faculty are asked to take a pause from course activities,” Ferguson wrote. “We would like students to use this time to immerse themselves in their new learning environments and work out any changes or challenges in their living/learning circumstances.”

Classes will resume online on March 23.

 Summer Action Teams and Study Away Programs

All 2020 summer action teams and study away programs have been canceled. This is due to the “restriction on movement across international borders,” according to the email. With the progression of COVID-19, these restrictions may not let up soon, leading to these decisions.  

President Ferguson concludes the email with his thanks and appreciation for the resilience and teamwork of APU faculty and staff. He acknowledges the frustrations felt by the APU community and as it navigates this health crisis.