Since its founding in 1899, Azusa Pacific University has always committed itself to serving its community. This commitment resulted in APU earning a classification for Community Engagement from the Carnegie Foundation. Of more than 5,000 institutions of higher education nationwide, APU is 1 of just 237 schools and 1 of just 81 Minority Serving Institutions to receive this classification.
A committee of staff and faculty was formed to self-assess the campus, displaying the multitude of ways that APU engages in community service. Karen Rouggly, DMin, director of the Office of Service and Discipleship and campus pastor, was a chair on this board. “In receiving this award, we demonstrated that we have a strong commitment to service at the institution. It also shows that the service that we offer and do is robust, meaningful, and important,” said Rouggly. APU’s commitment to service is more than just a selling point. It is integral to the way the university operates.
Service is built into students’ graduation requirements, classroom expectations, and the student atmosphere. “Scripture shows us that Christ came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many,” said Erin Thorp, PhD, former co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee and current director of APU’s TESOL Program. “Our choices and how we designate our resources on both the academic and the co-curricular side speak to APU's commitment to this calling over the decades.” Service is integrated into all academics and student affairs. Traditional undergraduate students are expected to complete 120 service hours in community organizations in Azusa and beyond.
Integrating service into all aspects of APU’s campus strengthens the connection to the community both on and off campus. APU’s partnerships with organizations in the community allow students to build connections with members of Azusa, more than their fellow students. “We value what it means to say yes to what God is doing on and off our campus. That looks like valuing the partnerships we have in the city we are planted in, the surrounding San Gabriel Valley, and within the global community,” said Rouggly.
APU expects all of its students to participate in the service opportunities built into the campus atmosphere. “APU's academic service learning is essential because it connects with undergraduate and graduate courses. APU has academic community engagement at all levels, which is unique to us,” said Thorp. The expectation that all students participate in service elevates not only each student but the campus community as a whole. “One of the things that makes an APU education so unique is that at all levels of your educational journey, there is a service opportunity for you,” said Rouggly. “We highlight the value of an education that has service at the core.”
The Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement showcases APU's ability to put into action the foundation of its campus. “Carnegie was looking for universities that have community engagement, not just at a surface level, but deep engagement. They're looking for pervasiveness and integration,” said Thorp. “That is where APU thrives, because our community engagement is a part of our cornerstones with service, community, Christ, and scholarship.” As one of a select number of schools within the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) given this classification, APU sets an example for what it means to lead with authenticity and sensitivity to God’s calling. “It highlights the value that we place on what it means to be a good neighbor, and we do that within our institutional framework, which is within our community, our understanding of who we are in the global church, and who we are in the global community of the CCCU schools,” said Rouggly.
With a renewal of this distinction, APU continues to show students the importance of involvement. “We want students who are passionate about being involved,” said Rouggly. “I want them to see that we focus on serving on and off campus, and that is the expectation when students enter our university.” Service is part of APU’s dedication to creating Christian leaders. “An important marker of Christian faith is having our actions match our words. If we say that we want to be good neighbors, we have to put in the work with our local and global communities,” said Rouggly. Carnegie’s classification is a reiteration of the work that APU continues to do.