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CAMPUS CLOSE UPSchool of Nursing ReceivesFederal Grant to Train MentalHealth Care ProvidersThe School of Nursing received a 1.2 million grant from the U.S.Department of Health and HumanServices to contribute to the developmentand expansion of the substance abuseand mental health workforce. Thedepartment seeks to train 1,800 additionalbehavioral health professionals per yearthrough this grant program.APU’s Behavioral Health WorkforceEducation and Training for Professionalsproposal represented a collaborative effortled by Sabrina Friedman, Ed.D., DNP,FNP-C, PMHCNS-BC, FAPA, associateprofessor of nursing, and includedBonita L. Huiskes, Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC,assistant professor and chair of the Masterof Science in Nursing programs, andJames F. Adams, MSN, RN, PMHCNS-BC,assistant professor and director of thePsychiatric Nurse Practitioner programs,along with the support of communitypartners. With these funds, the SchoolCAMPUS CLOSE UPof Nursing plans to prepare qualifiedpsychiatric/mental health nursepractitioners. “The 2013 CommunityNeeds Assessment, conducted by CitrusValley Health Partners and KaiserPermanente in the San Gabriel Valley,identified mental health as the numberone need, and that 51.4 percent of theindividuals requiring help for mental,emotional, alcohol, and drug issues didnot receive treatment,” said Aja TullenersLesh, Ph.D., RN, dean of the School ofNursing. “The Affordable Care Actprovides reimbursement for mentalhealth, but we need experienced andhighly qualified practitioners to providethose services.”APU’s nursing students will receivespecial training that focuses on youthswho have developed a recognizedbehavioral health disorder and 16–25year-olds who are at risk for mentalillness, substance abuse, and suicide—those least likely to seek continuoushelp. The grant will also expand nursingstudents’ mental health clinical placementsReading Recommendations fromBonita L. HuiskesBonita L. Huiskes, Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, is assistant professor and chairof the Master of Science in Nursing programs. bhuiskes@apu.eduThe Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Nursing by Betty Ferrell andNessa Coyle (Oxford University Press, 2008)The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis (HarperCollins, 2001)Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness by Rita Charon(Oxford University Press, 2008)God’s Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heartof Medicine by Victoria Sweet (Riverhead Hardcover, 2012)The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discoveryby David G. Benner (InterVarsity Press, 2004)Section sponsored by the University Libraries and compiled by Liz Leahy, MLS, M.A.T.,professor of theological bibliography and research. lleahy@apu.edu6Azusa Pacific Universityand promote employment opportunitiesfor graduates of the MSN with PsychiatricMental Health Nurse Practitioner Specialtyprogram. Distributed over the nextthree years, the grant will supportapproximately 80 full-time students intheir last year of field placement whileenhancing their didactic learningexperiences. “This significantly increasesour ability to educate psychiatric mentalhealth nurse practitioners and placethem in community agencies to meetthe mental health needs of children,adolescents, and transitional-age youth,”said Lesh.News Set Signals Importanceof Broadcast JournalismOn September 18, students and facultygathered to view the campus’ newtelevision production set that promises totransform the format of Capture, APU’snews program. Previously, Capture newspackages were filmed around campusand served as supplementary materialfor The Clause, APU’s student newspaper.Now, students in Television Workshopfilm on set every Thursday, producing afive- to eight-minute news segment andgaining hands-on experience workingwith graphics, the control room, and more.Featuring new cameras, teleprompters,and mics, the set includes a news deskand a backdrop photo of APU’s WestCampus at twilight.“We’ve been able to produce storiesperiodically, but not an entire TV show,”said Brooke Van Dam, Ph.D., assistantprofessor of communication studiesand journalism program coordinator,who spearheaded the project. “I hopethat soon we can air a news broadcastbefore chapel or on closed-circuittelevisions.”The set, housed in Darling room415 and the nearby Information andMedia Technology (IMT) controlroom, involved a yearlong developmentprocess and collaboration across campus,including contributions from journalismstudents, IMT, and the College of LiberalArts and Sciences. Marc Ameel, technicaldirector of theater arts and designer ofthe news set, said, “Having studentsinvolved in the construction is importantbecause it fosters an appreciation forwhat goes into the project before youcan sit in front of the camera. It givesthem ownership of the project.”Emily Boden, a senior journalismmajor and Capture’s news director,believes the new set will open doorsfor journalism students and makethe university’s journalism programrelevant and competitive in the fieldof broadcast journalism. “Studentscan use this as a springboard to workfor local talk and news shows rightin our own backyard,” she said.Students filmed the first on-setCapture news program October 9.Entrepreneurial StudentsCompete to Fund InnovativeBusiness PlansZuVenturez, astart-up businessplan competitionfor APU students,sponsored its second annual contest inNovember 2014. The event supportsemerging entrepreneurs by offeringa platform to create and test businessplans and pitch them to top-levelprofessionals and venture capitalists.Vying for the 15,000 award to helpput their idea into action, participantsengaged in an eight-week trainingprogram under the direction of AnnieTsai, Ph.D., vice president for alumni,vocation, and innovation.Roughly based on the conceptpopularized by the television seriesShark Tank, ZuVenturez aims toempower students to create Christcentered businesses that support theirlife’s purpose. “The vision must bebigger than merely making money,”said Matthew Chormann, MBA ’14,member of the ZuVenturez leadershipteam. “A winning pitch will identifyand meet a community need.”“Millennials aspire to be entrepreneurs,which makes ZuVenturez a relevant andpractical program for this innovativegeneration,” said Tsai. To guide andinspire students this year, ZuVenturezpresented speakers Matt Holguin ’02,MBA ’05, CEO of Working to Give;Bill Hetzel ’96, founder and presidentof MB4 Productions; Jeff Griffith ’92,founder and managing partner atFuel360 Media; and last year’s winner,Robert Cardiff, MBA ’14, creator ofWhip Rides, a transportation networkingapp that connects student drivers withthose needing rides.These networking opportunitiesand the chance to fund their businessesinspired more than 60 students toparticipate in this year’s competition.Increased sponsorship and volunteerismfurther contributed to ZuVenturez’sgrowth, including a recent partnershipbetween APU and Telos Ventures, aSilicon Valley-based Christian venturecapital company. Together, TelosVentures and Azusa Pacific plan tolaunch a nationwide business plancompetition for faith-based institutionscalled Elevate, modeled after the MarchMadness college basketball bracketsystem, with APU hosting the westernregional competition. Elevate participantswill compete for 20,000 during thespring semester, and the regionalwinners will advance to the final fourand pitch their ideas for 50,000 inSilicon Valley.Veterans Honored inAnnual TributeAzusa PacificUniversity andCitrus Collegejoined efforts tocelebrate thenation’s militarymen and womenat the ninthannual Saluting Our Veterans event onNovember 6, 2014. APU’s ROTC led thepresentation of colors, followed by keynoteaddresses from two Citrus College studentsand musical entertainment by the 1940sstyle singing group the Lindy Sisters.Among the honorees, APU’sColonel Rick Givens ’83, M.A. ’03,M.Div., United States Air Force ReserveChaplain, director of the Office ofAlumni and Parent Relations, wasrecognized for his faithful serviceas a Reserve chaplain for more than20 years.In his military role, Givens providespastoral care and counseling to cadetson campus, military alumni, and activeU.S. troops. In 2009, he deployed toQatar assigned to the fallen soldiers’flight line, guarding them with honorand dignity on their journey home. “Myheart goes out to these men and women,whether on active duty or in Reserves,”he said. “It’s an honor to serve this verydifferent kind of parish.”Azusa Pacific University was againnamed a Military Friendly School byG.I. Jobs magazine for the 2014–15school year, placing the university inthe nation’s top 20 percent of militaryfriendly schools. APU was selectedfor this honor based on its continuedsuccess in providing military studentswith quality programs, discounts,scholarships, clubs, networking, andstaff support.Mental Health InitiativePrompts New Strategiesin Student CareOn October 1, 2014, Azusa Pacific joinedthe Campus Program, a joint initiativeof the Jed and Clinton foundations thatsupports student well being and mentalhealth. The program assists schools inpreventing suicide and accidents involvingprescription drug overdoses and alcoholpoisoning—the two leading causes ofdeath among young adults. More than55 colleges and universities nationwidepledged a four-year commitment to theeffort, focused on assessing and evaluatingpractices and identifying opportunitiesto enhance mental health, substance abuse,and suicide prevention programming.The initiative broadens the scope ofAPU’s current practices. “We are buildingfrom a place of strength,” said Bill Fiala,Ph.D., associate dean of students andcontinued on page 9Science Fiction MagazineExhibit Explores CultureARVIN KIM ’15University Libraries’ Special Collectionshosted the “Amazing and Astounding:Science Fiction Pulp Magazines from1920 to 1950” exhibit August 20–October 3, 2014. The display featureddozens of pulps, generously lent bycollector William Lomax, Ph.D., fromhis collection of nearly 20,000 volumesof science fiction magazines.In addition to the magazine covers’vibrant artwork, the bygone social morespreserved in the publications drawLomax to these imaginative fictionalworks. “They have a sense of valuesthat we might identify as Christianvalues today—justice, honor, courage,exploration, curiosity, passion, andsense of wonder,” he said. “But modernscience fiction has rejected all of that.”“The magazines provide a windowinto the sociocultural idiosyncrasies oftheir respective eras,” said Scott Rosen,MLS, exhibit curator. “Racial, ethnic,and gender stereotypes exist in someof the material that might be offensiveby today’s standards,” he said, “but ittells us something about the time periodin which it was created.”Two additional events, Lomax’sSeptember 6 lecture and the September13 “Classic Sci Fi Double Feature,”offered unique opportunities to furtherengage with the exhibit. The lectureincluded a discussion of the writers,editors, and artists who shaped modernscience fiction, and the double-featureevent screened two classic science fictionfilms, followed by panel discussions withLomax, Rosen, and Thomas Parham,Ph.D., chair and professor of theDepartment of Cinematic Arts.Lomax expressed an interest ingiving his collection to the university inthe future, a donation that Rosen saidcould put the university “on the map”as one of the leaders in science fictionstudy among the Council for ChristianColleges & Universities.WINTER 20147

CAMPUS CLOSE UPCAMPUS CLOSE UPBy the NumbersYear in Review: 2013–14APU Ranked One of America’s Best Collegesby U.S.News & World ReportAPU earned a place in the National Universities category ofU.S.News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges 2015 rankings(No. 173), positioned alongside premier universities such asPrinceton University, Stanford University, and the University ofCalifornia, Los Angeles. The publication also ranked APU on itslists of Highest Retention Rate, Highest Six-year GraduationRate, Highest Proportion of Classes with Fewer than 20 Students,Campus Ethnic Diversity, A School for B Students, and MostInternational Students.College of Liberal Arts and SciencesNames New DeanLeading the university’s largest academic area into the next era,Jennifer E. Walsh, Ph.D., took the helm as dean of the Collegeof Liberal Arts and Sciences on June 1, 2014. Building on thetradition of excellence established by her predecessor, David L.Weeks, Ph.D., who became founding dean of APU’s new HonorsCollege, Walsh plans to facilitate an academic environmentcharacterized by innovation, collaboration, and excellencethat enables faculty members to educate a new generation ofdisciples and scholars who can read, write, think, and reasonwell; who demonstrate integrity in problem solving and decisionmaking; and who live and work as virtuous citizens capable ofcontributing to the common good.Honors College LaunchesBuilding on two strong decades of providing advanced materialsto students seeking a more rigorous academic curriculum throughthe Honors Program, APU expanded that effort in 2014 withthe launch of the Honors College. One of only 150 institutionsnationwide to offer an Honors College, APU stands out amongits peers with the ability to equip high-achieving students withcharacter-based leadership skills. The new, cohesive curriculumaffirms the wisdom of the Christian tradition, instills moral andintellectual virtue among tomorrow’s Christian leaders, andreclaims the classical quest for truth, beauty, and goodness.Vice President for Alumni, Vocation,and Innovation NamedAnnie Tsai, Ph.D., former chair of the Department of Psychology,became vice president for alumni, vocation, and innovation, aposition applying a collaborative approach designed to synergizethe efforts of career transitions and alumni relations andincrease opportunities for postgraduate success and vocation.Tsai’s strategy involves creating a network between existing officesand organizations in multiple industries seeking high-caliberinterns and employees. Through career mentoring, graduate schoolpreparation workshops, business plan competitions, andinnovative programs, Tsai aims to elevate entrepreneurialexcellence among the growing family of APU alumni.8Azusa Pacific UniversityNCAA Division II Welcomes Cougar AthleticsThe National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approvedAzusa Pacific for full Division II membership beginning July2014, completing a three-year application process. This allowsCougar sports teams to compete in NCAA Division II postseasonplay and enjoy all membership privileges. Azusa Pacific’s19-sport athletics program enters Division II with 51 nationalchampionships in 12 sports from previous national affiliations.In two years of competition as a provisional Division II member,Azusa Pacific won four conference championships, claimingPacific West Conference titles in women’s cross country (2012,2013) and women’s soccer (2013), along with the 2013 GreatNorthwest Athletic Conference championship in football.Engineering Program and DepartmentEstablished, Chair AppointedAPU will become the only Council for Christian Colleges &Universities member to offer an undergraduate degree programin systems engineering, a highly marketable, interdisciplinaryfield that applies standard engineering principles, processes, andpractices to coordinate the various tasks of a system to ensurethat performance, reliability, cost, and schedule requirements aremet. The program, housed in the newly formed Department ofEngineering and Computer Science chaired by Leslie Wickman,Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Research inScience, exposes students to electrical, mechanical, industrial,and computer/software engineering; facilitates internships andhands-on systems engineering projects with government andindustry partners; and prepares students for jobs in a widerange of fields, including aerospace, agriculture, automotive/transportation, business, defense, energy, health care/medical,and telecommunications.Merger of Two APU AreasForms University CollegeCombining efforts to meet the changing needs of today’s collegestudents, Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) and theSchool of Adult and Professional Studies (APS) merged to formUniversity College, a unique and independent institution withinthe APU family. University College offers new and innovativeapproaches to learning in a flexible environment, with anemphasis on affordability and marketplace responsiveness froma Christ-centered perspective. Program offerings include threecertificates, three associate’s degrees, eight bachelor’s degrees,and three master’s degrees. With six enrollment dates each yearand the option of online or face-to-face formats, students choosefrom multiple pathways to pursue higher education when andwhere it fits their lives.The number of scholars and policy makers, including APU’s AnupamaJacob, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Social Work,from 34 countries who participated in the ninth annual summerschool at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, gaining conceptualand technical instruction on measuring multidimensional poverty. The two-weekintensive international session focused on poverty dynamics and collaborativeworkshops aimed at increasing the understanding of and addressing global poverty.64:557,491:The number of trolley riders transportedbetween campuses in 2013–14. Thefleet includes four trolleys and one busto shuttle people between East and West campuses 7 a.m.–11 p.m., Monday–Friday.Newly upgraded sound and PA systems (better for sing-alongs) enable passengers tolisten to music while they ride between campuses.10,000:The grant amount Stephen Martin, director ofmusic and worship, received from the CalvinInstitute of Christian Worship to integrateservice-learning into the music and worship program. The funds allow the programto offer students outside service ministry opportunities through local churches,prisons, inner-city locations, and parachurch and secular organizations, exposingthem to real-world circumstances where they can apply their worship leadershipskills as a service to the community.Mental Health continued from page 7director of the University CounselingCenter. “Our University CounselingCenter is accredited by the InternationalAssociation of Counseling Servicesand has helped students cope with thepressure of college life for many yearsthrough individual counseling, self-helpresources, group counseling, and crisisinterventions. The Campus Programadds another dimension of structureand strategic planning to those efforts.It will guide us in developing amultidepartment approach to studentcare by providing a framework forsupporting student mental health,as well as assessment tools, feedbackreports, and ongoing technical assistance.”APU began this process last summerby conducting a confidential selfassessment survey on its currentprogramming. The Campus Programteam then reviewed the responses,compared them to a comprehensive setof recommended practices, and offeredcustomized feedback, suggestions forenhancements, and direct support inthe planning process. “We received apositive report on our existing proceduresand will be meeting over the next fewmonths to prioritize the next steps indeveloping and enacting our overallplan,” said Fiala. The APU teamanticipates full implementation ofnew strategies by summer 2015.Theater Production ExploresJourney of YoungestHolocaust RefugeesIn November, APU presentedKindertransport, a drama productionreferencing the experiences of 10,000Jewish children evacuated to Englandin 1938 through the story of one family.Written by Diane Samuels and directedThe number of students who met to launch the Black Male SuccessInitiative (BMSI) last spring. A 35,000 anonymous grant fundsthe initiative, which focuses on improving the academic andsocial experiences of black male undergraduates at APU. Emphases include increasedenrollment, retention, and graduation rates; improved grade-point averages; broadermajor selections; a deepened sense of connection and belonging; and supplementalprogramming and interventions such as peer mentoring and tutoring. Over the nextthree years, BMSI plans to seek additional funding through President Obama’s MyBrother’s Keeper initiative as well as institutional funding.50:The number of APU students selected to perform with conductorGustavo Dudamel at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Gala onSeptember 30, 2014, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The eventcelebrated John Williams, Academy Award-winning film composer, and masterviolinist Itzhak Perlman, whose combined work has garnered Oscars and Grammysfor films such as Schindler’s List.12:1,000:The number of career rushing yards TerrellWatson ’15 reached while racking up 200 yardsagainst Humboldt State University on October 9,when he became college football’s first to reach that milestone in 2014. Watson alsoscored three consecutive touchdowns, contributing to a 55-21 Cougar victory overthe No. 24-ranked Lumberjacks.by theater arts professor MonicaGanas, Ph.D., the play explores issues ofseparation, the choices people make tokeep their children safe, and the impactof those decisions on future generations.Theater arts faculty and studentsdeveloped a dramaturgical event inconjunction with the show, including acurated exhibit adjacent to APU’s BlackBox Theater where visitors viewed storyexcerpts, photos, mannequins in children’sclothing, posters from the era, andencased artifacts. Ganas involved herstudents in every aspect of the productionand encouraged their creative approachto the process. “Our students are welltrained, highly dedicated, and honoredto tell such an important story,” shesaid. “This play stretched them in manyways. The cast performed with talentand integrity, and the crew incorporatedhistorical material and newsreel footagethat authenticated their efforts.”The production of this play reflectsthe department’s goal to support theater’spropensity to inspire social change.“There is a powerful connectionbetween theater and social justice,” saidGanas. “We want to honor that in ourproductions by exploring theater’sability to shed light on important issuesand inspire life-changing conversations.”Some of those discussions began onNovember 16 during a panel sessionfollowing the matinee. Panelistsincluded Michele Gold, daughter of aKindertransport survivor and author ofthe recently published book MemoriesThat Won’t Go Away: A Tribute tothe Children of the Kindertransport(Kotarim International Publishing, Ltd.,2014); Holocaust survivor GabriellaKarin, an award-winning artist whoillustrated the book’s cover; and HankBode, JD, professor emeritus, whosefather worked with the Joop Westerweelgroup, which helped people escape fromNazi Germany. Carole Lambert, Ph.D.,English professor and Holocaust expert,also lent insight from her extensiveresearch through the HolocaustEducation Foundation.WINTER 20149

CAMPUS CLOSE UPCAMPUS CLOSE UPReenvisioning CommencementBrings New TraditionsConcert Honors Gospel’sInfluence on American MusicAPU ARCHIVESEstablished in 2008, Gospel MusicHeritage Month (GMHM) celebratesthe rich legacy of America’s musicalroots. The familiar sounds and soulfullyrics transcend cultural, religious, andgeographical boundaries and unitepeople through spiritual songs andnarratives. Honorin

6 Azusa Pacific University WINTER 2014 7 CAMPUS CLOSE UP CAMPUS CLOSE UP School of Nursing Receives Federal Grant to Train Mental Health Care Providers The School of Nursing received a 1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to contribute to the development and expansion of the substance abuse and mental health .