From the sunny campuses of Azusa Pacific to the East Coast haven of Yale University, alumna Hannah Vase has had an eclectic education journey. Vase graduated from APU in May 2021 after majoring in sociology and biblical studies and minoring in global studies and Honors humanities. As a freshman, Vase started in the Honors College with a goal to pick a single major and stick with it: global studies. But that quickly changed.
“It was one long, meaningful journey to biblical studies and sociology,” said Vase. “I was determined as a freshman and sophomore to be someone who didn’t change their major, hoping I made the right choice at (age) 17.”
Vase’s initial determination was setting her up for a lesson in flexibility and openness: “The distinctiveness of global studies drew me to APU, and I met a number of my closest friends through the Honors College. Overall, though, I was curious to understand people and how entire systems are impacted, and I realized that being consistent with that purpose was more important to me than refusing to change plans.”
From there, Vase participated in L.A. Term, which exposed her to books such as The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America (Liveright, 2017) by Richard Rothstein, which pointed her in the direction of sociology.
“Sociology as a major offered a helpful framework and guidance about systemic discrimination,” she said. “Professors Nori Henk and David Miyahara encouraged me to see the depth and relevance of sociology for many of my questions.”
So Vase added sociology and embarked on a double major that she found fulfilling and enlightening.
Today, Vase is a joint degree master’s candidate at Yale Divinity School and Yale School of Environment, pursuing an extended Master of Arts in Religion (concentration in religion and ecology) from Yale Divinity School, and a Master of Forestry from the Yale School of the Environment, and expects to finish both degrees in May 2025.
“My path from biblical studies and sociology to forestry may seem a bit surprising,” Vase said. “I was interested in environmental ethics and sustainability at APU, but did not have the resources or time to pursue it. Jeff Chu’s work concerning a theology of compost, along with Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, inspired me to look for graduate programs that studied religion and ecology in an integrated way.”
Of course, Vase’s journey from APU to Yale was not without its challenges. At APU and afterwards, Vase dealt with a lot of rejection as she worked to set the foundation of her ideal career path.
“I applied to be an RA (resident advisor) at APU twice, and was rejected,” she said. “The first time I applied to the Yale School of the Environment, I was rejected. I’ve been rejected by numerous scholarships, part-time jobs, and schools over the years. The times I was rejected were painful, but also extremely clarifying.”
Vase noted that from these rejections she was able to build community by relying on others for support and was freed from trying to cultivate a “perfect” image. It seems APU was instrumental in fostering this growth between the professors, friends, and communities Vase encountered while an undergrad.
“APU, like a number of other institutions, can be a place of tremendous potential for personal, professional, and communal growth,” she said. “Being honest about your hopes, dreams, and weakness with different people helps with that.”
Vase found that much of her time at APU was meaningful, but what stands out to her most is her time in the L.A. Term: “It was the most formative for me. The emphasis on experiential learning, mindful community-based partnerships, thoughtful professors, and being observant of the world around us was key.”
As Vase works through her joint master’s degree programs, much of APU’s foundation is holding firm for all that she is learning and doing on the East Coast. While at APU, Vase was decorated with a number of awards and certifications that emphasized her tremendous work in her various fields of interest: an APU Trustees’ Scholarship from August 2017-May 2021, a Certificate of Distinction in Biblical Studies in May 2021, and coauthor for publication for Social Justice and the Global Food System capstone course (December 2021). This year, she is an Urban Fellow at the Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability.
“I feel a professional calling to bring together environmental justice and religious communities,” said Vase. “Both communities are deeply tied to reconciliation and healing of people and places. When I first came to grips with the widespread effects of climate change and environmental racism, I wanted to know what my role could be to do something about my privilege. While at Yale in a new city, I connected with the joy of noticing what was around me and becoming familiar with the plants, trees, and birds. Particular roles I have held since being here that rely on facilitation, listening to communities, and being outside remind me that I hope to be in a profession I can sustain for the long term, one that involves being outside and working to help people in a tangible way.”
One of the ways Vase is helping people and the environment in the here and now is through the Yale School of the Environment’s Urban Resources Initiative.
“My current occupation is multifaceted, and APU prepared me in a number of ways to thrive,” she said. “In addition to Sabbath practice, rigorous APU classes prepared me to think critically and stay informed about context for discussion and application. After graduating, I plan to [continue] work in urban and community forestry, while staying open to what comes next.”
Vase’s time at APU taught her that while it’s good to have plans, holding them loosely and being open to allowing God to expound on our interests is the best way to find and thrive in our ultimate calling.