collide magazine issue 5 beyond borders
DESCRIPTION
Collide Magazine dives into the theme of "Beyond Borders," covering global issues and people transcending personal borders.TRANSCRIPT
WHERE IDEAS & STORIES IMPACT !"OCT 2011 ! ISSUE 5
CONTINUING THE DIVERSITY DIALOGUE | SELLING TO SUSTAIN | SHAKEN HOPE
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editor's note.. .
When starting to plan an issue on global topics, it was only a matter of time
before someone said it: “Students are so living in an APU Bubble…” “If only students got out of the APU Bubble…” I nodded my head in agreement as reporters rattled o! justi"cations for their story ideas—the pesky phrase showing up with each new pitch.
This phrase has made its way into our daily APU-speak, but rarely with a positive connotation. At each mention, I try to imagine what this ‘bubble’ would even look like. In my head, the ‘bubble’ is like the protective force "eld covering Hogwarts in the last Harry Potter movie. In that instance, students were warding o! death eaters. Here in San Gabriel Valley, it seems like what we’re describing is hiding from the secular world.
But as our team dove deeper into this process, we uncovered a
lot more ‘popping’ the bubble than maintaining it. ‘The APU Bubble’ is not some thick shield after all. It’s being breached, and often, by students like you that care about the world around us.
In our theme issue, BEYOND BORDERS,
our reporters have collaborated to bring you stories about transcending physical and mental margins. These include a resident director’s testimony of her move from Zambia to Adams Hall, businesses impacting communities with their products, and APU alumni approaching diversity talks in the workplace. In our main feature, “The Local Guide to World-Class Travel,” we’ve given you the chance to move beyond the so-called ‘bubble’ by visiting culture towns in Los Angeles.
And that’s not even half of it. Online, you’ll "nd more.
So sit down, grab a pumpkin spice latte, and make yourself feel comfortable. In only our second year of publication, our Collide magazine sta! welcomes you to enjoy our "fth issue. We hope these stories inspire you to do more than read. We hope you reach for those suitcases, go global locally, or initiate some conversations that get you moving beyond borders. As always, thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Kaitlin Schluter, Journalism majorEditor-in-Chief
WHERE IDEAS & STORIES IMPACTCollide Student Magazine !"Oct 2011 ! Issue 5
Editor-in-Chief ! Kaitlin Schluter | [email protected] Representative ! Adam Daley | [email protected] Director ! Jonathan Dickson | [email protected] & Copy Editor ! Emeli Warren | [email protected] ! Karen Sorensen-Lang | [email protected]
Contributing Photographers !Jill Galloway, Amanda Marsh, Jonathan Dickson
Contributing Writers ! Chelsey Barmore, Caleb Dennis, Elissa Emoto, Chelsea Johnson, Sarah Rogers
Mission StatementCollide is a publication of The Clause, a multi-media student voice of undergraduate Azusa Pacific University. Our stories seek to bring people together on our pages where our ideas collide and stories impact readers. We provide narratives, inquiries, and dialogue in a Christian academic setting that values individual's stories as well as community concerns. Our writers are student-journalists interested in crafting articles that connect with readers and challenge them to grow as people and reporters.
Like our magazine? Want to put your advertisement in our pages?Please contact: Advertising Representative ! Adam Daley | [email protected]
Photo By: Jill Galloway
Contents . . .Study Abroad: Mapping out Your
Adventure
Normal, Everyday Miracles
How To Globally Connect on Campus
From Z to A
Raising Their Hands
The Local Guide to World Class
Travel
Selling To Sustain
Shaken Hope
Continuing the Diversity Dialogue
Global Gadgets
5
7
9
10
11
14
18
21
23
25
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Where are students now?
Study Abroad: Mapping Out Your Adventure
Plan Ahead...What’s the cost?
TOTAL STUDENTS
High Sierra40
168South Africa
48
Oxford20
0
$200
250
300
Top 3 Programs
5
10
7
14
18
21
PALESTINE APPLIES FOR STATEHOODThe historical event is causing political waves. Students study-ing abroad in Palestine and Israel share their experience and add to the conversation.
GROWING MILES APART!"#$%&"'()*$%&#+,-"."/)%01"2"&#%or inhibit long distance relation-ships? Check out this online feature to see how couples are 2(34-/%4&%5"13%(+1"$$%6"1'#1$7
VENTURE BLOGCheck our website every Friday for a new blog post on local events, food, culture, and $0"&.4/,&$%4-%"81%+"228-4&)7%Take the plunge and venture out. We have, will you?
23
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER STORIES:
Where are students now?
Study Abroad: Mapping Out Your Adventure
Plan Ahead...What’s the cost?
TOTAL STUDENTS
High Sierra40
168South Africa
48
Oxford20
0
$200
250
300
Top 3 Programs
“So I remind myself to not forget the amazing
memories I’ve made, the people I’ve met, and
experiences I’ve had in this beautiful country. I
hope I never forget: the valuable things I learned
about growing up in the age of apartheid, the
system of legal and racial segregation between
1948 and 1994, my home and friends at African
Enterprise, that one time I decided to jump off
a bridge, and the genuinely beautiful people at
River of Life who showed me what the true face
of hope and faith really looks like.” I wrote these
!"#$%&'(&)&*+",&-"%.&#',/.&*01"#0&*")#$'(,&)&2',/.&home, after experiencing a semester abroad in
South Africa. After a great deal of traveling, spiri
tual growth, and time spent at River of Life, an
organization that empowers surrounding com
34('.'0%&)1105.0$&*6&789&)($&:8;<=&8&>()++6&4(derstood how studying abroad can help students
discover their personal identity.
The Center for Global Learning and Engage
ment has been able to supply students with in
sightful tips and information about study abroad,
which make dreams of studying abroad a reality
for those who take the time to plan ahead. Be
low we’ve compiled data on students who have
already taken the plunge.
T,(;/3(/6"'7,-)"<,&"=-;<":,;C/)";<'(8/"),"732(8"B,3"+,-3"*)-6+"'73,'6"/9:/32/(;/L">/3/?*"'".,,C"')"<,&"=-;<"+,-";'("8/)"B,3"+,-3"%4S4"6,..'3"';3,**";,-()32/*"2(")</"B,3=",B"'"UVWW"#::./"2$,64"F')</3/6"7/.,&"'3/"2()/3(')2,('.";,*)*")3'(*.')/6"2(),"%4S4"6,..'3*4
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Tier A:?& Students will pay their regular APU tuition and their full&>()(5')+&aid will apply.
?& Tier A programs also offer automatic transfer of academic
5#0$'.&)($&>()(5')+&)'$@?& The programs that qualify for Tier A are APU based, such as
the South Africa semester, High
Sierra semester, etc.
Tier B:?& Students will pay their regular APU tuition and most of their >()(5')+&)'$&%/"4+$&)--+6@
?& Most programs in Tier B are offered through BestSemester,
as well as one program offered
through Geneva college.
Tier C:?& Students will have the option to remain registered with or take a
leave of absence at APU.
?& Leave of absence: Students will (".2'A0&)(6&>()(5')+&)'$&)($&will pay the selected program
directly.
?& Tier C programs: Boston term, EduVenture: Indonesia, Focus on
the Family Institute, Jerusalem
University College, etc.
Students are packing their bags for a world of education.
BY Elissa Emoto | Communication Studies
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U.K
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For more informa
tion on studying
abroad at APU go
online. apu.edu/
studyabroad
It’s no secret that Azusa Pa-ci"c encourages its students to ‘go global.’ From the mul-
titudes of booths on the Cougar Walk during move-in weekend, to the several o#ces that cater to global activities, getting plugged-in to worldwide e$orts is the thing to do. But with so many options, this can all feel like a bombard-ment of information.
Even if you’re willing to trudge through the pages of on-line information, you may not see the point in getting involved over-seas. Between homework, work, extracurriculars, and attempting to maintain a social life, dedicat-ing time to one more thing can seem overwhelming. However, even in the midst of college chaos, Collide spoke with some o#ces on campus about why and how you can make an impact outside your own zip code.
Multi-Ethnic Programs (MEP) is o%en considered to be
the center of campus diversity and global expression. &ey boast an open door policy, where anyone is welcome to sit on the couch, hang out, and feel safe to talk about anything. I decided to test this theory.
Sure enough, when entering the MEP o#ce across from &e Cougar’s Den, I was welcomed by a group of people who were more than willing to chat with a ner-vous, "rst-time reporter.
When asked to describe MEP’s purpose, senior intern Brittany Morton said, “We’re not only a safe place for people who feel like they’ve been hurt, or un-heard on this campus. But we’re also a safe place for people to come who need to learn or who need to broaden their minds.”
MEP hosts several events a semester including Gospel Sing, a globally-inspired fashion show, and progressive dinners focused on promoting diversity, apprecia-
tion, and understanding. In ad-dition, MEP advises the ethnic organizations on campus which include: Asian Paci"c American Student Organization, Black Stu-dent Association, Latin American Student Association, Middle East-ern Student Organization, Native American Student Circle, and the Paci"c Islander Organization.
For mission trip opportuni-ties, the O#ce of World Missions (OWM) sends 34 Focus Inter-national teams to 25 countries around the world. Student pro-gram coordinator and a two-time missionary to Ghana, Victoria Leith discussed the multiple op-portunities available to students and why she thinks students should get involved.
“Because I think that’s what God has called us to do. &e Bible says to evangelize to the corners of the Earth. I think that it’s im-portant to raise awareness, [to] be aware of what’s going on in the
world,” said Leith, a senior psy-chology major. “I think that being in America we are so, I hate to say it, sometimes ignorant of what is going on in the world. I think it’s important to go out and see how blessed we truly are. And with that blessing comes responsibility. We’re responsible to share with others what we have been given.”
OWM also works with lo-cal organizations like Life Water International to support global causes. &ey also organize Global Vision week, beginning the "rst week of November, to promote global awareness and participa-tion on campus.
Another way to become fa-miliar with other cultures is by going to International Chapel held Fridays in UTCC. It provides a di$erent style of worship, some-times in another language. &is is an opportunity to enjoy multicul-tural fellowship and community.
Globally Connect on Campus By Chelsea Johnson | English
HOW TO:
This school year, Adams Hall received a new Resident Director who
is originally from Zambia. Suwilo Charity Namfukwe, who goes by her middle name, has experienced moving from country to country, as well as transitioning from one culture to another. However, with every experience, this woman has gained much wisdom and insight for her role as an RD.
&rough Charity’s past expe-riences, she brings her philosophy about how to view individuals within her new role at Azusa Pa-ci"c.
“People are people,” said Charity. “At the end of the day, when you strip away all of the ego-centricity of culture and norms, you’re just le% with a person who wants to be loved, who wants to "t in, and who wants as much as I do for someone to take time and ask them, ‘Tell me about you.’ ‘What makes you, you?’”
For Charity, moving interna-tionally and experiencing di$erent types of cultures have transformed her identity. She was born in Zam-bia and raised in Sydney, Australia as a child. Because of this, Charity values and understands the impor-tance of being able to feel comfort-able in a new environment—an is-sue freshman typically face.
“It can be so tempting to say, ‘I don’t know much about this cul-ture, it’s overwhelming. Will I ever "t in?” said Charity. “You have to
understand that people are people who just want to be known.”
A%er living in Australia for four years, she and her family moved back to Zambia where she took residence in a prestigious boarding school along with her sisters.
“It was a school for very a'u-ent kids,” said Charity. “A father of one of the girls that I went to school with is now the president of my country.”
Because her father was a pas-tor, she was able to receive a sti-pend to continue eighth through
twel%h grade. A%er graduating in 2002, she later attended Grace Col-lege, a small Christian university located in Winona Lake, IN. She studied Psychology and Criminal Justice and also received her mas-ter’s degree in mental health.
Her religious upbringing con-sisted of growing up in a Christian home. But although she knew “all the answers,” Charity said she had no relationships with God.
“I couldn’t explain why my life felt so empty,” said Charity. “Some-thing just didn’t seem right.”
When she turned 13, she at-
tended a Sunday celebration that changed the rest of her life. Char-ity said at that moment a “switch (ipped.” It was that decision to be a follower of Christ that changed her relationships.
Now in the dorms, Charity sees this position as a calling.
“Doors just opened wide and full to come here,” said Charity. “It was de"nitely God leading.”
Charity knew about APU because a friend of hers attended. Before, she was living in San Jose, Calif. where she obtained “Califor-nia fever.” She knew she wouldn’t mind staying. So far, she has been impressed by her encounters with members of APU’s community.
“I’ve been so overwhelmed with just the quality of students I found on the campus, and the fac-ulty and their hearts for the world,” Charity said.
Charity has had the opportu-nity to receive an education from three di$erent parts of the world and deal with many personalities and cultures in her lifetime. &ese experiences have taught her the im-portance of connecting and loving others for who they are.
Her transition to APU has been a great one though so far. Two questions that Charity has kept throughout her life will continue to come to mind as she begins her RD role. Her mother always impressed the following: “How are you going to care for people? How are you go-ing to love people above yourself?”
From Z to AFrom Z to AHer journey from Zambia to Azusa taught her that people share
commonality despite differences; they just want to be loved.By Chelsey Barmore | English
For dates, times, and information on Global Vision Week, go to www.apu.edu/globalvision. For more information on mission trips, go to www.apu.edu/iom/owm. To get involved with Multi-Ethnic !"#$"%&'()'*#+),-)*./0")#123/)%3"#'')1"#&)*./)4/5)#5)6#7$%")8%9:()#")$#)*#);;;<%+7</=7>&/+<
)
Photo By Amanda Marsh
Photo By Jonathan Dickson
A seventh grader raised his hand shyly in class. “Yes, Jonathon what’s your question?” the teacher asked. “Ms. Sylvester, I don’t understand how to
do this math problem,” the student replied. &e instructor contemplated what he had just said. It was her "rst day on the job and the mate-rial she was teaching should have been learned when he was in "%h grade. As she looked across the classroom, she noticed that other students had been struggling with the same problem. She knew it was up to her to get these students where they needed to be in order to advance, but it wouldn’t be easy.
&is narrative is used to illustrate just one common problem that many schools face in some low-income urban communities: math skills. Unfortunately, students in these areas also struggle with low reading and writing skills. To help bridge the gap between educa-tional inequality, trained graduates and pro-fessionals work in these communities for two years to try and make a di$erence through a program called Teach For America (TFA). &e purpose of TFA is to ensure that students in impacted areas are able to receive the educa-tion they deserve, potentially changing their
lives. For the selected teachers involved, TFA provides leadership training for future job po-sitions.
Teach For America stemmed from a Princ-eton University undergraduate thesis written by Wendy Kopp in 1989. According to TFA, the program received 500 graduate students who joined a year later. Since then, 33,000 leaders have reached and a$ected 3 million children
over a two-year period of involvement. TFA’s challenge is "nding leaders from all socio-economic backgrounds with a passion for so-cial justice. According to Teach For America’s website, when teachers are from low-income families or historically overlooked racial back-grounds, they have the potential to have a profound additional impact on their students. &is is due to the fact that they can connect with those students in ways others can’t. &ese teachers can help reveal to their students that they have the potential for success in educa-tion and in life. &e website also reveals that 95 percent of principals across the U.S. rated TFA teachers more e$ective in their overall perfor-mance than beginning teachers.
Madeline Robertson-Salt, an APU alumna and current manager for TFA’s recruitment for the Los Angeles region, commented on the en-rollment process for potential candidates.
“Leadership skills showed through being embodied in service, extracurriculars, academ-ics, and undergraduate services, combined also with a passion for social justice [plays a key role],” Robertson-Salt said.
Having leadership capabilities within clubs or programs, like Alpha and Student Life, are
Students are struggling across the nation but don’t tell that to these teachers.
‘Giving up’ is not part of the lesson plan.
By Chelsey Barmore | English
all potential factors in being re-cruited for this organization. Applicants also don’t have to be a Liberal Studies major to be in-volved with this program.
“Teach For America looks for all majors because it a$ects all of us,” Robertson-Salt said.
Once accepted into Teach For America, reality sets in and the rigorous training begins. &e new teachers attend an intense six-week training program called Institute. &is teaches and pre-pares the new recruitments how to build a curriculum and how to direct lessons to low-income stu-dents. A%er, the new teachers are then interviewed among school districts, and eventually assigned to a community as a full-time teacher.
&e application process can be daunting with the many re-quired interviews, lessons, and analysis tests. However, the ben-e"ts that can be acquired with this program, if accepted, can culmi-nate to a very rewarding experi-ence.
APU alumnus Brian Kam is teaching a math class in Camden, N.J. Kam graduated with a Bach-elor’s degree in mathematics and
said his job can be di#cult day to day. &e fear of failing as a teacher for his students can become wor-risome.
“I know that this is a learn-ing process,” said Kam. “Someone told me that I shouldn’t try to be the perfect teacher. I need to take time for myself.”
APU almuna Emily Hood graduated with a Liberal Studies major and also feels the strenu-ous pressures within the class-room. She is currently teaching at Hazlehurst Pre K-8 School in Hazlehurst, Miss.
“I’ve wanted to be a teacher,” said Hood. “&at’s what I’ve hoped for and prayed for, for a very long time. So it’s hard to be in a place where I feel like I’m not good at what I do.”
&e fear of failing one’s stu-dents was a common theme among APU alumni involved in Teach for America. However, they all try their best with each new school day and challenge.
“I love my stu-dents and I adore them,” said Hood. “&ey have such hard lives that I will never
be able to understand.”&ough with challenges,
comes great achievement. Kam received a homework
assignment from a student who was having a hard time with ge-ometry. &e note thanked Mr. Kam because the student was "nally able to understand one of the lessons.
“Whenever I get a small note like this, or a student says some-thing to me, they don’t always realize what they are saying,” said Kam. “&at is what keeps me go-ing – knowing I have made some small breakthrough with my stu-dents.”
Rachel Cavanaugh, APU alumna who graduated with a &eology major, also teaches at Hazelhurst. She was encouraged when she realized that her stud-ies have in(uenced her teaching style.
“If the role of the Church is to teach us to be the most human as
we learn to live like Christ, a lot of what I’m teaching my little kids is beyond num-bers and letters,” Ca-vanaugh said. “It is teaching them to be
human, how to share, and how to love each other.”
On the other hand, Emily Hood realized why she was posi-tioned to teach at Hazlehurst.
“I teach for Kay. I teach so that he will know that I’m not going to give up on him,” said Hood, refer-ring to one of her seventh grade students in her special education class.
“I’m still going to treat him with love, kindness, and have patience with him…I know that I’m supposed to be here because he needs to see consistency,” said Hood. “He needs to know that someone believes in him, that someone knows he can read and [there’s] someone who’s not going to give up on him.”
Teach For America provides the opportunity to be a part of something bigger. &e stories of APU’s alumni, Kam, Hood, and Cavanaugh, share that being a part of this program presents di#culties and challenges along the way. However, through those situations, one can transform the life of students, bring hope to a child, and close the education gap for the next generation, regardless of background.
Teach For America is currently accepting applications to begin the summer training institute and start teaching in Fall 2012. Deadlines for applications can be found online.
The last two deadlines are January 6 and February 12. For more information on the program’s requirements and locations, visit www.teachforamerica.org.
Photo Courtesy Teach for America
"I teach for Kay. I teach so that he will know I'm not going to give up on him." !Emily Hood
"That is what keeps me going-- Knowing I have made some small breakthrough with my students." !Brian Kam
FULL PAGE AD
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BY KAITLIN SCHLUTER | JOURNALISM
Planning a trip to a di$erent country isn’t easy, to say the least. &ere’s the plane ticket, the hostel, the language barrier,
the scheduling, the packing, and the crowded seating. Not to mention, traveling is hard on the wallet. &e average roundtrip plane ticket to Europe costs roughly one thousand dollars. In college "nancial terms: 143 Chipotle burri-tos, no guacamole added. But the bonus of liv-ing near Los Angeles, one of the nation’s most ethnically diverse cities, is that cross-cultural experiences are just a drive away.
Hidden among the skyscrapers and valleys are “little” slices of faraway lands. &ey come in the form of culture towns, which are re(ective of a growing population of immigrants and their families who lead the way for new generations. For most that live in
these areas, it’s a matter of knowing it when you see it. Billboards will begin to
bear a di$erent language, architecture will
change, and foreign melodies will "ll the air. In Little India, a business community located on Pioneer Boulevard in Artesia, women dressed in brightly colored saris blend in to western fashions. In Chinatown, paper lanterns stream across sidewalks and Chinese characters label buildings. Further into L.A., Olvera Street o$ers an outdoor market that brims with a fragrance of enchiladas and churros.
And that’s only half the hemisphere–without a plane ticket.
Dr. Edward Chang, co-author of “Ethnic Peace in the American City: Building Community in Los Angeles and Beyond,” sees culture towns as an opportunity to not only experience a culture, but understand cultural di$erences. “We need to be able to understand what they are, who they are, what they represent, and how they contribute to this mosaic community,” said Chang, a professor of ethnic studies at UC Riverside.
Chang explained that ethnic enclaves are a re(ection of L.A.’s history of immigration. &ese pockets of communities began to
appear during the 1970s, not all with a positive homecoming. Areas like
Chinatown were previously seen as ethnic ghettos that stood as a symbol of segregation. Today, ‘ethnic enclaves’ is used as a more positive term. Many of these areas have evolved into major tourist attractions and centers for cultural education.
Teresa Chung, administrator of the &ai Town Community Arts and Cultural Center, shared that a lot could be learned just by visiting one of the areas. In fact, she learned more about &ai traditions living near the culture town than she did growing up in &ailand. Chung attended an international school before moving to L.A. and was surprised to "nd that &ai Town contained the largest &ai community outside of the actual country.
It was here that she was able to attend festivals and witness demonstrations of &ai culture. Now as a member of the cultural center, she hopes to provide visitors the same opportunities to go beyond borders.
Sug Kitahara, executive director of the Artesia Chamber of Commerce, has also bene"tted from living near and visiting culture towns. Kitahara grew up near Little India, which is cloistered along four blocks of
!"#$%&'(#&%#)**"'+&OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, BUT ADDING TO IT.” -FRANK ROMERO-CROCKETT
Pioneer Boulevard. Beyond that, the area is rich in varied cultural dishes, including Vietnamese and Filipino dishes.
“All of these places basically bring their homeland to you,” said Kitahara. “You get the feel of that vibe and culture for sure. You’re gonna meet people from their homelands and when you go into the stores, you really get a sense of their culture.”
As much as these areas promote cultural tourism, they also preserve the rich history of these communities. In the El Pueblo de Los Angeles district, the City of Los Angeles and the Getty Institute are working together to preserve a 79-year-old mural and open an interpretive center. Famous Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siquieros painted the image on an Olvera Street building. Opportunities like these allow visitors to continue to enjoy the town’s history.
“It has always been my hope that visitors see themselves in the rich history of Los Angeles,” said
Robert L. Andrade, general manager of the El Pueblo Historic Monument. “I want them to take away a sense that they too are part of this wonderful story.”
For students looking for a longer-term experience, Azusa Paci"c University’s Global Studies department o$ers a chance to study in L.A. for a full semester. Frank
Romero-Crockett, assistant director of the Los Angeles Term program, said the goal is to get students outside of their everyday experience. &is includes students taking public transportation or living with a host-family in a diverse community. Although the student never boards a plane, Romero-Crockett noted that culture shock still happens.
“Having this cross-cultural local experience, it’s interesting how Los Angeles is sometimes a harder adjustment than students going abroad,” said Romero-Crockett. “You can deal with AIDS in Africa or political con(ict in the Middle East, but there’s something about immigration, homelessness, pollution, or food access that really gets people feeling uncomfortable because they live it.”
Classes are taken in the Koreatown area and students get to intern with a local organization centered in the city. Romero-Crockett has seen the impact of stepping outside of one’s comfort zone to understand another’s life experience. He shared some words of wisdom passed on by a host family.
“It’s not stepping outside of your comfort zone, but adding to it,” Romero-Crockett said.
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(1) Olvera Street's main plaza hosts cultural dances.
(2) Old Chinatown plaza offers a taste of Chinese cul-
ture, from specialty stores to intricate architecture.
Phot
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Photo By Kaitlin Schluter
three businesses pay it forward by
impacting others one product at a time.
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By Elissa Emoto | Communication Studies
C hanged by the stories heard overseas, the founders of three organizations have in(uenced the globe with their ethical business models. 31 Bits, Give Prints, and International Princess Project, are part of a new generation of companies that enhance the empire of ethical consumerism. &ese
companies empower lives in di$erent areas such as, the devastation of war in Uganda, sharing God’s love with people, and human tra#cking in India. &rough hard work and faithfulness, these businesses are setting trends in our consumer driven societies, one product at a time.
31 Bits&e mission of 31 Bits that utilizes fashion
to empower women in Uganda has successfully provided business opportunities in the war-torn country. Over the past three years, 31 Bits jew-elry has also helped rede"ne consumerism for the “socially-minded fashionista.”
Alumni of Vanguard University, the 31 Bits team consists of "ve women: Kallie Dovel, Alli Swanson, Brooke Hodges, Anna Nelson, and Jessie Simonson. During their senior year the women dreamed of giving the Ugandan women, who make the paper bead jewelry, a chance to live sustainable lives.
“We have covered [31 Bits] in prayer,” said Swanson, the Director of Marketing. “And it is so much bigger than we could have ever thought or imagined.”
&eir dream evolved when celebrities like Jessica Alba began wearing the necklaces, a fea-ture of their jewelry appeared in People maga-zine, and a lasting partnership began with Reef sandals.
“We went out to Reef and said a million prayers beforehand,” Swanson said. “It wasn’t that good of jewelry at the time, but we told the basic story and Reef was stoked.”
Reef placed an order for 30,000 strands of pa-per beads to complement the “Ugandal” sandal. &e initial six Ugandan designers expanded to 40 designers and eventually 100. &e sandal sold out within a few months of its release. Its success led to more 31 Bits and Reef collaborations for the Ugandal 2 and 3, and the latest Ugandal 4.
Artistic fashion shoots and eye-catching
graphic design, has allowed the jewelry brand to become trendsetters in the fashion world. 31 Bits recently announced the launch of a new line of ethically made wedding accessories.
“Why not buy something that is not only handmade and totally unique, but goes to such a bigger cause,” said Swanson. Aside from pro-viding a source of income for their bene"ciaries, 31 Bits also strives to provide English lessons and "nancial training. &ey also establish com-munity groups, AIDS and health education, and vocational training, which is available to each Ugandan woman involved.
“If you have a calling, it is for a reason,” said Swanson. “You can do business that gives back, and you can do business that is done right.”
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"I really feel like if you have a dream and an idea, keep pursuing it." !Sean Gibbons
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International Princess ProjectReminiscent of the brightly colored In-
dian sari, Julie Wood, the executive direc-tor of International Princess Project (IPP), re(ected her job title in a vibrant red and orange blouse. &e organization has a goal of ending human sex tra#cking while em-powering the women of India.
“I felt like God was saying, ‘&is is who I made you to be, and this is where you can have the most impact,” said Wood, who worked in APU’s O#ce of University Ad-vancement until 2006.
&rough programs like IPP’s PUNJAM-MIES™ initiative, the goal to end the sec-ond largest criminal trade in the world is progressing. &is initiative provides jobs and training about self-sustaining lifestyles for women brought out of sex tra#cking.
“If these women can make something so that they don’t have to prostitute them-selves, they are going to need a job,” said Shannon Keith, the founder of IPP.
&e contrast of the sari’s vivid colors against the darkness of India’s red-light district inspired Keith to create a unique type of pajamas. A blend of the English
word pajama and the language Punjabi, the PUNJAMMIES™ emerged. All PUN-JAMMIES™ pro"ts go back to the holistic support of the 155 Indian women who make them.
“We have really continued to double our growth in terms of reaching more women, which is the ultimate goal in bringing as many women as possible out of forced prostitution,” Wood said.
Wood recently traveled to India and listened to the stories of those saved from forced prostitution. In India, she recog-nized the shame-based culture and the guilt of those who felt tra#cking was their fault.
“&e tears in their eyes, talking about the hope that they have, and the joy they have a%er working for the center was beautiful,” said Wood. “It was really a privilege.”
&ese three companies will continue to use their privilege of selling compas-sionate products to empower lives and become permanent trendsetters in the world.
Give Prints At the age of "ve, the "rst (ash of her camera
sparked a passion in Cristina Robeck to share God’s love with people through photographs.
“For me photography has always been a big part of my life,” Robeck said. “For as long as I can remember I’ve had a camera in hand, snapping away at pictures.” A%er a mission trip to El Salvador she asked, “How can I help this country?” * Robeck’s desire to make an impact in at least one person’s life, and the dream of Give Prints became a reality. Give Prints, a for-pro"t company, was launched for consumers to buy photographs from a website in
which 50 percent of their money would be donated to a charity of their choice.
Robeck’s knack for networking is what she calls a “God-given gi%.” *She utilizes her gi% of making connections to hire photographers who contribute to Give Prints’ gallery. *
“&e idea is for photographers who are new to business or trying to go forward,” Robeck said. “My commitment to them is to help showcase their work and get them out there if they haven’t done that yet.” *
Give Prints has 13 contributing photographers
who each o$er unique perspectives of life through a camera lens.
Sean Gibbons, a marketing major at Cal State Fullerton, is one of the younger pho-tographers for Give Prints. *At the age of 15, Gibbons bought his "rst camera, a Canon Rebel XT. Camera in hand, he began travel-ing the world and his passion for photogra-phy sparked.
“One of my favorite things [about Give Prints] is that as the purchaser, they are able to buy a photo they like and then choose a charity from the list of di$erent ones,” said Gibbons. Give Prints o$ers their custom-ers the choice of eight di$erence charities, &ese include &ree Angels Children’s Re-lief that aids children in Haiti and Walking on Water, which evangelizes through a surf camp.
“It is cool to see [Give Prints] expand,” said Gibbons. “I think it is going to get re-ally big eventually.” Robeck describes the growth of Give Prints as a blessing that has been able to give back to many people.
“When I was in college I would have never imagined that I would be here right now,” said Robeck who encourages college students to take advantage of their opportu-nities, “I really feel like if you have a dream and an idea, keep pursuing it.”
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here’s a certain point on the bus route between Japan’s coastal cities where the scenery changes. A "ne line is drawn, distinguishing between what
once was and what now is. Bent lampposts line streets marked with gutted-out buildings. Cars are totaled and squashed, stacked against each other like dominoes. Boats the size of hotels are shipwrecked on public roads. Red ‘X’s’ are spray painted on the remains of houses, marking the location of dead bodies.
Just less than "ve months a%er Japan’s worst earthquake to date, Azusa Paci"c University graduate student Jake Mason stood face-to-face with this destruction. &e area, now (attened wastelands, was one of many regions struck by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake on March 11, 2011. &e initial event shook the country and triggered a tsunami, sending walls of water pummeling through Japan’s northern coast. By April, reports revealed more than 12,700 people dead and 14,700 missing. Four days a%er the quake, Japan Red Cross reported 530,000 people displaced from their homes. Mason, like so many others, witnessed this tragedy through the lens of a television the day it happened. But there was something about these images that moved him to do more than watch. He responded, and in less than a month, a mission trip was formed.
“I was just like, I have to do something,” said Mason, a nursing student in the Entry-Level Masters Program. “I think so o%en people have that thought and they think, ‘Oh,
someone else is doing it. It’ll be handled.’ But as it turned out, I was the only person that came in and set it up.”
Mason was following what he called ‘a gut thing’ that soon developed a%er receiving an e-mail from a Japanese friend. &e e-mail explained that an earthquake had just hit, with shakes big enough to demolish his house. Mason, who had completed a three-year program teaching English in Japan, said the message struck him. He said he felt the same way he did when 9/11 happened. He had to help.
His initial plans were to fundraise but he later considered the possibility of going. He
contacted the O#ce of World Missions who promised to support him if he organized it. At this point, Mason had no experience leading a team or going on a mission trip.
Mason boarded a plane along with six other team members for Japan on July 30, 2011. &e harsh reality hit upon stepping into impacted areas. &ere was still much to be done, even though almost "ve months had passed since the initial shake.
“&ere was one school that was close to the shoreline and literally, in the fourth story, had a car halfway into the windows of the building,” said Mason. “Half the car was sticking out and you’re like, ‘&at’s 40 feet high.’ Seeing that, that’s how you realize the power of what actually happened.”
Jacqueline Pham, a team member and nursing student in the Entry-Level Masters Program, described seeing “debris piled as high as a mountain.” Mason approached her at the end of March with the idea of a trip. Pham, who is not Christian, had always wanted to do something like this. She agreed immediately to join. While there, Pham was moved by the resilience she saw in those they served. &is included one child who celebrated her third birthday a couple days a%er the tsunami took its toll.
“&ese little kids don’t have toys or grass to play on,” said Pham. “It makes you think when you’re stressing about "nals. It’s nothing in comparison. &ey don’t have a home.”
&e team spent three weeks partnering with CRASH Japan, which stands for ‘Christian relief,’
“ I think so often
people have that
thought and they
think, ‘Oh, someone
else is doing it. It’ll
be handled.’ But as it
turned out, I was the
only person that came
in and set it up.”
- Jake Mason
SHAKEN HOPEWhen tragedy struck Japan in the form of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, one student didn’t wait
around to make a difference.By Kaitlin Schluter | Journalism
T
‘Assistance,’ ‘Support,’ and ‘Hope.’ &e non-pro"t organization seeks to equip volunteers in aiding the surrounding communities. &ey also partner with local churches to create a long-term impact. Ministries varied from clean up to food distribution. &ey even performed a special foot massage designed by a victim of the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake.
Daniel Wong, who works at CRASH Japan headquarters in Tokyo, was able to spend time with the team at the base camp. &e organization has a total of "ve locations that house up to 1,000 volunteers. Wong now sees the ministry starting to move more toward emotional care, spiritual support and counseling.
Eileen Nielsen and her husband are both trained counselors volunteering with CRASH Japan. Both have lived in Nagoya, Japan for 18 years planting a small church. &ey were home the day of the earthquake. Two weeks a%er, their missionary friends encouraged them to help with survivor care through the organization.
“Our [relational] experience with Japanese up until now, reserve, polite and guarded, has changed like night and day,” said Nielsen in an e-mail. “I "nd in a few short meetings, I am hearing about their lives and struggles, which in the past would have taken years to have been
hearing. &e Japanese are resilient, but they need encouragement and hope. &is is what volunteer teams bring here in abundance. ”
But although there will be a turning shi% in ministry, Wong said clean up is still be a need.
“As long as volunteers come and they’re willing to work, there is work to be done,” said Wong. “It doesn’t seem like there’s going to be a lack of debris for them to clean up…People are still hurt by it.”
Another team and cohort member, Madonna Zand, understands what that hurt looks like. Roughly twenty years ago, a 7.8 earthquake struck her neighborhood in Iran. Zand and her family were almost trapped in her house because a concrete slab had fallen and made it di#cult to get out the front door. Zand will never forget the experience and decided to help other survivors. However, she didn’t realize that leaving would impact her faith.
Zand, 40, grew up Muslim and attended church only for prayer in Iran. &e church they attended every Sunday in Tono, Japan was her "rst church experience. At the time, Zand
said she was “trying to believe in Jesus” and wanted to convert. Zand remembers feeling an overwhelming sense of peace.
“I didn’t think anything except God,” said Zand. “It was there, in Tono, that I decided I have to change. I called my husband and said, ‘Honey, I’m going to change my religion.’”
Now Zand considers herself a “studying Christian” and wants to go back on another trip.
Looking back on the journey, Mason admits that it was a lot to take on for a "rst-time experience. He also thinks, though, that taking the risk was worth it. Just the team’s presence alone was a good enough reason to go. &e team recalled being thanked by locals on a daily basis, just for traveling so far to
make a di$erence. Despite the "nancial barriers and last
minute planning, Mason encourages a “looking up [to God], then looking inside” approach when beginning such an endeavor.
“If you feel like you’re being drawn to it, do it, even if it seems scary or you’re not sure,” said Mason. “If you got that gut feeling being pulled, I would say do it and give the rest up to God.”
"The Japanese
are resilient,
but they need
encouragement
and hope."
--Eileen Nielsen
Courtesy of OWM Japan Relief Mission Team
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Felix Event
Diversity. Alongside “community,” diversity is perhaps one of the most popular APU buzzwords. Whole
o#ces are dedicated to the idea of a diverse on-campus culture. Study abroad programs focus on getting students outside the con"nes of U.S. borders. God-honoring diversity is key to our school’s academic vision.
But what happens to diversity as a value when students graduate? A whole new life is waiting outside the crossroads of Citrus and Alosta avenues. What does diversity look like in the realm of full-time jobs and working beside and for people of di$erent religions, ethnicities, ages, and lifestyles? How does APU’s e$orts in diversity translate to life beyond college? &ree Azusa Paci"c alumni unravel their experiences with diversity at APU and in the workplace.
Popping the 'Jesus Bubble'Kirsten Garrett, a May ‘11 business
administration major, served as a Multi-Ethnic Leader scholar, the Black Student Association secretary and the only student representative on the Diversity Collaboration Committee. Now, Garrett works for Target as an Executive Team Leader for Guest Experiences. Since June 2011, she has been one of six store managers for the Ontario,
Calif. store. “Target is really big on building a team,” Garrett said. “&ey look for how you can bring a diverse perspective to the company.” Although Target cannot hire based on speci"c qualities, Garrett believes a variety of ethnicities and gender are essential aspects of team building.
Garrett said, “It’s interesting how all of the executive team leaders combined together make a really good store because we bring di$erent perspectives.” Between her and her "ve peers, there are "ve di$erent ethnicities represented. Both genders are balanced on the sta$. &eir ages range from 22 to 44.
Religion is a facet of Garrett’s encounters with workplace diversity. “I had to adapt to my Jesus bubble being popped,” said Garrett. “I feel like APU doesn’t prepare you for diversity in terms of religion.” Many of her team members openly practice faiths other than Christianity. As a manager, Garrett needs to make sure employees don’t feel uncomfortable regarding her faith.
Garrett, who is African-American and Mexican, came to APU from Oceanside, Calif. where her best friend was white and Lebanese. In comparison to her hometown, Garrett believes APU is not diverse even though the numbers have gotten better. Diversity at APU, she believes, is mostly
weighed on race. “Target has a better understanding of what diversity is than APU,” said Garrett. “&e reason I say that is because at APU, a lot of people are scared and come from more sheltered backgrounds. You have to be careful how you word things because you’re all Christians.”
Garrett believes students need to capitalize on being in a loving Christian environment that is generally more respectful and understanding of diversity mistakes than the workforce is. “I feel like APU did prepare me for entering the ‘real world,’ but that was because I took diversity seriously,” Garrett said.
“Once you get out into the real world, people are less forgiving,” said Garrett. “Really dive into the opportunity you have and get to know people from di$erent perspectives because it enriches the way you speak and communicate, making you better able to relate to others.”
Culture Shocked in AzusaAs the word “diversity” suggests, APU
students do have di$erent experiences and backgrounds with diversity. May ’11 graduate Ben Ritter, a Caucasian communication studies major, grew up in a rural Illinoisan town. His high school was comprised of
CONTINUING THE DIVERSITY DIALOGUE
350 white, middle class income students. Los Angeles’ diversity and Azusa itself were an overwhelming culture shock. “For me, starting at zero and going to a place like APU was a huge jump,” Ritter said. He believes most students who were upset with APU’s ‘lack of diversity’ likely have experienced a better diversity model. To Ritter, APU is incredibly diverse.
“APU is a global-minded university,” said Ritter. “&e university understands that it stands in the context of brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world. It is not an island.” Graduating from APU, Ritter found most of his friends were of a di$erent ethnicity and background than him.
Currently, Ritter works for John Stott Ministries as the Director of Public Engagement. John Stott Ministries is the U.S. subsidiary to Langham Partnership, an organization supporting the growth of the global church through training and equipping pastors worldwide. &ough he works from home, Ritter gets to travel. &is October, he will be traveling to Kenya to gather stories and media from congregations of Langham-funded pastors.
Although Ritter believes John Stott Ministries isn’t comprised of a diverse sta$, the organization’s mission is rooted in diversity. “&e mission of John Stott Ministries is to
bring together Christians around the globe in every single nation, to break down the walls of class and wealth to show we are all part of the church,” Ritter said.
According to Ritter, APU did prepare him for the “real world’s” diversity. “It would be a shame to go to APU and to live by such a diverse city like Los Angeles without having a diverse intercultural experience. All of the programs and opportunities are available at APU to prepare students to walk into a diverse workplace,” Ritter said. “It’s up to the students themselves to make that decision.”
Communicating Diversity in FaithLauren Valencia, December ’09
communication studies graduate, is both Mexican and Native American. Although she appreciates APU’s emphasis on diversity, she believes too much emphasis is placed on it. “I de"nitely think it’s important, but I don’t think it should be the forefront thing,” Valencia said.
Since February 2011, she has worked at Attack! Marketing, a promotional event agency that coordinates events from (ash mobs to street teams. Many of their events are either bilingual or target a speci"c minority group. &eir hiring process places less emphasis on diversity. “&e most important thing is to hire someone who is going to do a good job and
diversity is secondary,” said Valencia. However, the team at Attack! is eclectic and open-minded to opinion, cultural and lifestyle di$erences.
Valencia’s transition from APU to the secular workplace has taught her about openness and interacting with people of di$erent beliefs and opinions. “I have had conversations about my faith with coworkers and they’ve all been good conversations,” said Valencia. “I want to learn more about what they believe and vice versa.”
Growing up in a Christian home and attending a private Christian high school, Valencia was mostly unexposed to di$erences in Christian beliefs and lifestyles. APU opened her eyes to a multifaceted Christianity.
From both APU and Attack! Marketing, Valencia has learned how to "nd the beauty in everything. “I know that’s a broad thing to say, but there’s beauty in non-Christians who don’t believe what I do,” said Valencia. “It breaks my heart when people say, ‘Oh that person believes that so I don’t want to interact with them.’ I think at the end of the day that’s why people are turned o$ to Christianity. I think APU does a good job of "nding the beauty, honestly.”
Diversity is a complex issue both at APU and beyond campus borders. &e conversation does not stop with graduation. Diversity is also outside the classroom and in the workplace.
It’s a familiar conversation but beyond the classroom, alumni share how APU diversity discussions have or haven’t prepared them for the workplace.By Sarah Rogers | English
The world moves at such a fast pace, but thanks to technology, it is becoming
easier to keep up both at home and abroad. To gain a broader understanding of the world, it is important to know what is going on in it. Now, thanks to Smartphone tech-nology, it is as easy as downloading an app.
Pulse News Creator: Alphonzo Labs Available For: iPhone, iPad, and Droid Cost: Free
Pulse News is a revolutionary app that gives you control over what news you see. Through a series of panning story bars, you see the most recent news. This colorful app shows you only the news that you set it to show. The app has many preset sites of which you can choose from already. If there’s one not listed, you can simply add it by entering the URL from the settings menu. After that, it will automatically add all posts from the site you wish to follow on your story bar. There is also the ability to share all "ndings on Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail, keeping your friends and followers in the loop as well. Pulse informs you of not only the most current events going on in America, but around the globe as well, as it shows you updates from your chosen news sites. It al-lows you to "nd out about issues and more within a matter of seconds through the use of hands-on, multimedia technology.
Blancspot Creator: Blancspot Media Available For: iPhone (coming soon to iPad) Cost: Free
Everything about Blancspot is the de"ni-tion of ‘cool news’- two terms of which are often not synonymous with each other. But this app does news in a whole new way, by being even more artistic and visually bril-liant. Unlike Pulse, full screen color photos with brilliant resolution pop up to show the current events upon opening the app. After clicking any of the photos, you are taken directly to the story. Similar to Pulse, Blancspot features pan-ning news feeds, which update as news happens. Though this app also o!ers news, Blancspot’s homepage is more graphically pleasing. The only real downside to it is that you don’t have much power to customize. The app also takes the use of social media to a new level, featuring feeds that show what other people are saying on Facebook and Twitter about the article you just read.
iTranslate it! Creator: Devare! Available For: iPhone Cost: $0.99
Should you "nd yourself in another part of the world and needing to translate some-thing immediately, iTranslate is a great app to use. It has a wide selection of languages that you can translate between, with ev-erything from French to Spanish and even Hebrew. The coolest part about this app is that it is formatted like an iPhone text con-versation. You enter the phrase, word, or sentence that you are looking for, and the app ‘replies’ just as it would in a text mes-sage. Switching languages can be done by simply clicking “languages” in the right hand corner of the screen, and then scroll-ing through the list of options.
Tripit- Trip Organizer Creator: Tripit Inc.
Available For: iPhone, iPad, and Droid Cost: $3.99
Whether making a spur of the moment road trip or a voyage overseas, this app makes it easy to plan everything out. Tripit functions as one paperless itiner-ary. It keeps track of everything about your travel plans from plane #ights, to car rent-als, to hotels and restaurant reservations. Simply keep track of all of this by forward-ing con"rmation e-mails to [email protected], The app will automatically sync all information in one place, so that you don’t have to carry around pesky papers every-where you go.
GLOBAL GADGETSBy Caleb Dennis | Journalism
Photos Courtesy Pulse & Tripit
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Photo Courtesy of Audrey Borges