On Tuesday, October 5th four of APU’s outstanding Servant Leaders were honored at the 8th Annual Servant Leadership Awards Luncheon.
The purpose of this award program is to recognize and encourage God-honoring service by our students both within and outside of the APU Community. Students are nominated for this award by faculty and staff and then selection by a committee whose members represent all sectors of the University. Originally, the Barney II Foundation and the Moore Foundation collaborated to provide funding for the program. Currently this program is generously funded by the SAJE Foundation (www.sajefoundation.org) in Orange County as well as the Berdena Ruth Scholarship Fund provided by Joseph and Lori Lawson.
This year there were twelve students nominated for this award and although each nominee deserved an award only four could actually be selected to receive the honor. The selection committee wishes to express their thanks and appreciation to each of the nominees for all of their hard work and sacrifice. This year’s winners are:
Jonathan Garcia received his award for Service within APU. Jonathan is a senior Sociology/Philosophy major from San Bernardino, California and was nominated by Ginny Dadaian, Director of Community Relations. Jonathan has been a member of the Student Government Association, serving as House Member, Senator, and Director of Communications and is currently the President of the Latin American Student Association. In addition, Jonathan is also a Multi Ethnic Leadership Scholar and a TELACU (The East Los Angeles Community Union) Scholar. Jonathan writes: “In order to be in a position of leadership, one must first be a willing servant…It is always about the other person and not about oneself.” Jonathan gifted half of his scholarship to TELACU.
Cameron Justice received his award for Service in the Community. Cameron is a senior Psychology major from Yorba Linda, California and was nominated by Louisa Vasquez, Student Employment Manager. Jonathan has been involved with WAY (Walk with Azusa’s Youth) for three years, the last two as a lead volunteer. He is currently serving as the Student Ministry Coordinator for San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity. He also volunteers for Oasis in Los Angeles helping with inner-city youth and is a volunteer at a juvenile detention center in Orange County. Cameron writes: “My experiences have shown me that simple acts of kindness and prayer can go a very long way and that they are not that difficult to perform…I believe to genuinely lead you must serve and lead by example.” Cameron has gifted half of his scholarship to San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity.
Rebecca Borst received her award for Service through Academics. Rebecca is a junior Biology major from Inverness, Illinois and was nominated by Leslie Wickman, Director of the Center for Research in Science. Rebecca has served in APU’s Mexico Outreach ministry and is a member of the 2010-2011 Spiritual Formation Service and Leadership Team. She is currently a research intern in the Center for Research in Science where she created a database of internships, jobs, and scholarships for students in the math and science fields and is now researching geoengineering technologies to mitigate the effects of global warming. Rebecca writes: “When you put the words servant and leadership together, you get a leader that not only selflessly serves the world, but also serves the team. The leader makes the decision to lead not to bring themselves power, but to better serve other.” Rebecca has gifted half of her scholarship to APU’s Mexico Outreach.
Ricky Chao received his award for Service Internationally. Ricky is a senior Applied Exercise Science major from Antelope, California and was nominated by Chiraphone Khamphouvong, Direct of the Office of World Missions. Ricky has been a Missions Team Leader to Laos for two years, discipleship group leader, Resident Advisor and a referee with ¡Viva Azusa! Soccer League. In addition, he participated in the University Choir and Orchestra. It is his desire to live a life of long-term missions in Laos. Ricky writes: “A Godly leader finds authority by being under authority and finds service through seeing the needs of others. We are not our own, we are not to be served, but to serve, and give our lives so that we might live.” Ricky has gifted half of his scholarship to Meinh Christian Youth Association.
Congratulations to these four outstanding students.
On each of the shirts was written a story or saying from women or relatives of women that have suffered from violence. My heart was moved as I read each shirt today and saw how each were designed in their own beautiful way. Each voice that was shared through those shirts was heard as students read them and as they were displayed there in own uniqueness on the clothes line.
The expression of women victims voices calling out to God through these shirts is a beautiful sight as they swayed on the lining. This act of writing and designing on shirts and hanging them up though wasn’t just some random act, but was set up by the Clothesline Project. It is a national movement to help address the violence against women. By honoring survivors and victims of intimate violence, the Clothesline Project had a table set up with stacked shirts and sharpie pens to be used in helping display the shirts. It gave a chance for students at Azusa Pacific University to participate in writing and designing a shirt to share their story or relatives’ story of either surviving violence or revealing their struggles. 
I love the symbolical view of women doing laundry by hanging up clothes on a clothesline with this movement, giving the sense of these women victims hanging up their burdens and sharing their voice with the world, or at least the campus of Azusa Pacific University.
