Looking back on her meaningful time at Azusa Pacific University, psychology alumna Sarah Adams ’11 reflected on how APU shaped her faith, servant leadership, and love for community. The skills she gained at APU allow her to cultivate a sense of belonging, encourage authentic connections, and support personal well-being in her work today. In her role as a director at the McGrath Family YMCA, she applies these skills by advocating for nonprofit programs that support children.
Originally from Rancho San Diego, Adams began attending Skyline Church in high school. Although she didn’t grow up going to church, one of her close childhood friends encouraged her to start going, which led to her learning about APU. “APU was the only faith-based school I applied to,” Adams said. “It was an exciting idea to be able to take classes based on the Bible and learn more about it outside of church.” Adams had never gone to a faith-based school before and wanted to experience what it was like after having grown in her faith throughout the past few years.
Adams’ experience stepping onto campus immediately showed her an example of the leader she wanted to become. One of Adams’ first impressions of APU was how involved each professor was. “I liked really getting to know my teachers and feeling connected to the community,” said Adams. “In every class I took, professors wanted to get to know their students and cared deeply about them.” Her connection with the faculty at APU has integrated into her professional environment at the McGrath Family YMCA. “We make sure that people don’t feel invisible. I want everyone who walks through these doors to feel valued. Our faith welcomes our baggage, whatever stories we bring, and we treat families the same way here at the YMCA,” Adams said. “We have a scholarship program for families who cannot afford the full cost of their YMCA membership, and we fundraise throughout the year to make those more affordable for families.”
As a mother to her 2-year-old son, James, Adams brings a deeply personal sense of
empathy to her leadership. Her faith influences her work and inspires her to serve
others, practice servant leadership, and contribute positively to the community that
enters her doors.
“Becoming a mom has made me more patient and empathetic to the experiences of families and better able to address their needs compassionately.” APU’s psychology program gives students a strong foundation and encourages the integration of psychology with Christian values, as reflected in Adams’ experience. Seeing how compassionate her professors were with their students inspired Adams to become an Alpha Leader. Her involvement in APU’s Alpha Program allowed her to mentor freshmen during their first semester on campus and share new experiences with them. “During training, I made connections with the other Alpha Leaders, and was grateful to have a group of freshmen on my own to invest and grow with,” said Adams. “I learned so much during that time, and I still use a lot of that training in my supervisor role at work.” Today, Adams serves as the Membership and Child Watch Director at the McGrath Family YMCA in San Diego, overseeing two department supervisors who lead the rest of the team. “The YMCA of San Diego County is the largest association in the nation,” said Adams. “The McGrath YMCA serves over 5,000 members and nurtures a healthy spirit, mind, and body so all can thrive while honoring our faith-based heritage.” She credits the Alpha Leader program with teaching her the importance of trust and collaboration, lessons she continues to apply in the workplace.
Adams originally enrolled at APU as a marketing major. Before she was able to take any business classes, she took a general psychology course, and knew that was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, so she switched her major to psychology. During her time in the program, she met Professor Alan Oda, PhD, who would greatly impact her time at APU. “Dr. Oda was hilarious. He found ways to make his statistics class really interesting and related it to the Christian faith,” Adams said. “He became a professional mentor to me. I still correspond with him to this day.”
Beyond her experiences in the classroom, Adams had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Oxford during her junior year. This program allowed her to meet kids from all over the U.S. “APU has so many opportunities to try something new. That’s one of the things I loved most,” Adams said. One experience that stood out to her was chapel. “I loved attending chapel three times a week,” Adams said. “It kept me closely connected to the community, and you never felt alone. I remember thinking, ‘Why can’t we have something like this at my work?’” The sense of connection she experienced in chapel continues to influence how she fosters community and belonging in the workplace.
Adams continues to live out the values she developed at APU through her leadership at the McGrath Family YMCA, grounded in faith, empathy, and community. The relationships she built, the mentors who guided her, and the community that supported her continue to influence her approach to leadership today. Through her work at the YMCA, Adams carries forward the lessons she learned at APU and continues to create spaces where individuals feel seen, supported, and valued.