College is an important time for students to explore their academic and personal interests, and Azusa Pacific University encourages students to see how those interests can be used to pursue a vocational path that serves others. For Don Austin, MA ’01, EdD ’05, pursuing his Master’s and Doctorate in Educational Leadership at APU inspired him to pay it forward by working in education administration, building on the passion for academics his faculty cultivated in him.
After his undergraduate studies at Baker University, Austin planned to become an English and physical education (PE) teacher. While he was teaching in Moreno Valley, Austin and his friend decided to pursue master’s degrees to qualify for higher-level education jobs. After attending several college information sessions, the two friends decided that APU was the best fit. “APU’s orientation felt less like a sales pitch and more like a welcome to a program where I could tell I was going to learn something impactful,” he said. “My friend and I immediately felt at home at APU.” Living in the Inland Empire and teaching full-time, Austin needed a program that would fit his lifestyle, and APU’s program at the Inland Empire Regional Campus offered the perfect fit.
The program exposed Austin to new possibilities in education by combining technical aspects of administrative work with clinical observations through subjects such as politics and ethics. “My professors were all current practitioners or recently retired, and they taught me to slow down when making decisions, enter into work with humility, and think critically,” he said. Austin shared that the program emphasized the importance of mentorship, which has influenced how he approaches his career today.
Austin completed the program in a year-and-a-half and immediately decided to pursue his EdD in Educational Leadership at APU’s Azusa campus. Austin’s dissertation team chair was professor and former librarian Lillian Waymire, someone he admired for her critical feedback and personality that complemented his own. Austin’s team also included professors Dan Lawson and Chip Anderson, who each brought unique strengths to the table and helped him grow as a scholar in many ways. “My dissertation was on early work in positive psychology in managing weaknesses and exploring strengths,” he said. “From the formation of this team, that’s what we did. Anderson was my cheerleader; Waymire pushed me to meet my potential; and Lawson provided helpful, constructive criticism.” Austin’s team, with its many strengths and personalities, showed him how to lead diverse teams and cultivated a love of learning. “I later served as a fellow at Cal State Long Beach, and I try to pay forward what I received at APU by helping others with their dissertation work.”
Faith integration was introduced naturally into the coursework by many faculty. “My professors believed that within our work, there is something bigger and more important than us,” Austin said. “For me, Anderson was a great example of faith because his belief just poured out of him. You could feel it yourself in every conversation with him.” Faith and a holistic approach to teaching brought Austin closer to his professors, and that spirit of helping each other grow extended to his peers as well. While the program did not have cohorts, Austin attended classes with most of the same people throughout. This allowed him to make connections and build friendships that he still has today.
After 13 years serving as superintendent of Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School
District (2014-18) and Palo Alto Unified School District (2018-26), Austin was appointed
superintendent of Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) in June. This appointment marked a full-circle journey for Austin, who served
as principal of Laguna Beach High School from 2006-11. “Laguna Beach has always been
a special place for me, and I want to see it become the best it can be,” he said.
Austin’s goal is to support and uplift students and staff so that people come to Laguna
Beach not only for its location, but for the way the community treats and empowers
them.
APU’s educational leadership programs prepared Austin to see his work as an act of service. “I want to serve others and help them have positive experiences with education,” he said. “I want people to realize their aspirations and feel like I invested in them when they go out on their own.” Austin recently returned to APU to meet the new Department of Educational Leadership chair Joshua Ryoo, EdD, and the rest of the department leadership. He was impressed by how much the program has evolved over the years, noting that it is now easier for students to navigate and includes more practical elements for students to learn from. “It was encouraging to meet the new leadership,” Austin said. “They’ve maintained the spirit of the program while evolving in ways that benefit students and their future career success.”
After reflecting on his time at APU, Austin shared that what he found most impactful about his experience was how inspiring the program was. “APU leaves space for inspiration to spark in every student,” he said. “I learned that not everything has to be scripted. If your mind and heart are in a good place, your words and actions will be meaningful to the people you’re working with.” Austin continues to bring a positive attitude to his career while serving, encouraging, and leading students and staff to uplift the LBUSD community.