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A lot has changed over the past year, especially the way we celebrated accomplishments together!…

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 15:04:33 -0700

A lot has changed over the past year, especially the way we celebrated accomplishments together! Here are some snapshots from the Liberal Studies program celebration for graduates. We’re so proud of the resilience of our Sunbirds!

Here’s to the next generation of teachers!

Cultivating Connections in a Community of Learners

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 16:22:24 -0700

I still vividly recall my first college class when I was 17 years old. Prior to arriving at college, I had read all the self-help literature that suggested that I should make myself memorable to my professors if I wanted to succeed. So, immediately after that first class, I stood nervously at the back of the line of students waiting to speak to the professor. When my turn came, I awkwardly thrust my hand in the professor’s direction and in a single breath gasped, “Hi-my-name-is-Melanie-and-I-just-wanted-to-tell-you-that-I’m-really-excited-to-take-your-course.” What I didn’t know at the time was that this professor would turn into an important mentor in my professional life and that such relationships are no accident.

These days, as assistant professor of biblical and theological studies, I find myself on the other side of the classroom welcoming new students to their first classes at Fresno Pacific University. Because I teach many first-year students, I often have students who, like me at their age, are eager to make a connection with their professors. Like me, too, many of these students are about to discover that it’s no accident that Fresno Pacific University will afford them opportunities to develop significant relationships that may well impact the rest of their lives.

The community of learners at FPU has allowed me as a faculty member to make the sort of meaningful connections with my students that my college mentor was able to make with me. I take it as a badge of honor when students send me invitations to their sports matches, invitations to their weddings, requests to support them with letters of recommendation and updates about their lives after college. I value such connections just as much as a professor as I did when I was a student.

I have learned that these links I get to make with students are not a coincidence. Rather, they are evidence of a careful and intentional cultivation of this community. One of the ways in which Fresno Pacific University nurtures these student-professor connections is through its strategic goals. One of these goals is to “Transform Purposefully.” This goal sets out a vision for the whole institution. However, it also highlights the importance of purposeful transformation for every member of the community. Such transformation happens as community members engage in learning together. In doing this, FPU intentionally cultivates a brand of community life that allows me to make the same kinds of important connections with my students that my college mentor made with me.

As things ramp up for the start of the 2021-2022 academic year, FPU’s campuses are abuzz with activity in preparation for a new class of students who are about to become a part of this community. Yet for all the preparations that are going into writing syllabi, setting up classroom furniture and dusting off dorm rooms, the most important groundwork has already been laid: the creation of a community that nurtures meaningful connection. When the Fresno Pacific Idea names FPU a “Community of Learners,” this doesn’t just mean a new batch of students will be assimilated into an existing community. This means that all of us—students, faculty, staff, administrators, board members and alumni alike—engage together in a quest for truth. As preparations are made for this new season of academic life, I pray that God’s Spirit would be at work in all of us so that we might be purposefully transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) in community with one another.

My Most Inspirational Faculty - Dr. Graciela Perez

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 08:32:29 -0700

At the end of every school year Alpha Chi senior students are encouraged to consider a faculty member who has had an especially profound influence on them. Samantha Diaz selected Dr. Graciela Perez, program director of the Spanish program.

One of the biggest blessings in my life has been the opportunity to know Dr. Graciela Pérez. Throughout my time at Fresno Pacific University, Dr. Graciela has demonstrated a love and care for her students that I had never experienced before. It is evident that her students are her priority.

She does everything for the best interest of her students and goes above and beyond for each one of us. Dr. Graciela is one of the most dedicated and hardworking professors that I have ever met. Even though she is always on the go, she always has a beautiful smile on her face. I have never seen her without a smile! Her love for Jesus is so obvious. By simply being around her one can tell that her faith is the most important thing in her life. She approaches every situation in life with positivity and what she can do to grow as an individual. She is truly one of my biggest inspirations and is the kind of teacher that I aspire to be someday. In fact, I was originally going to have a minor in Spanish. However, once I met her and took my first class with her, I immediately decided to double major and add Spanish.

Dr. Graciela takes learning to a whole new level. I actually look forward to my Spanish classes and I am eager to hear her class lectures. She creates such a positive and welcoming learning environment for her students. Although I am bilingual, I was hesitant with the Spanish language when I began to pursue my Spanish degree. Due to some personal circumstances, I had a barrier in my heart and my mind regarding my Spanish skills. My self-confidence was very low, and I struggled to see my full potential. However, Dr. Graciela saw the best in me and knew from the start how much I was capable of achieving. She saw my insecurity and anxiety as an opportunity for growth and reliance on God, rather than a stumbling block. She did not judge me nor invalidated how I felt. She took the time to hear my story and offered guidance and advice. Not only does Dr. Graciela expand my learning in academics, but she also expands my understanding of the real world and teaches me about life. Within the short amount of time that I have known her, I have probably learned the most from her than from anyone else.

Dr. Graciela’s grace and keen understanding of her students are a couple of my favorite qualities that she has. I was having a rough time one day and after our class she approached me and asked if I was okay. She said that I was quiet, and she could tell something was going on. This absolutely touched my heart. The fact that my professor took notice on how I was doing and actually cared enough to take the time and ask me how I was, meant everything to me. This is how I knew that she was different from any other professor that I had met. From that day, I established an authentic trust in her. Another important moment was when she prayed with me after class one day. I shared something with her that had been weighing heavy on my heart and she was there for me. She offered a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and brought my need in prayer to God.

My experience at FPU would not be the same without Dr. Graciela. She is one of my biggest inspirations. She is an example of the kind of teacher, woman, and servant of God that I want to be. Dr. Graciela brought healing to my relationship with the Spanish language/culture and taught me to excel. Thank you FPU for giving me such an amazing and dedicated professor.

My Most Inspirational Faculty - Dr. Daniel Larson

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 08:28:44 -0700

At the end of every school year Alpha Chi senior students are encouraged to consider a faculty member who has had an especially profound influence on them. Magdalena Wegner selected Dr. Daniel Larson, a professor in the English department.

I would like to nominate Daniel Nelson, who taught the bioethics course I took last semester. I found his teaching to be inspiring for several reasons. First, his class was my first exposure to philosophy and ethics. We went through several major schools of ethical thought and worked specifically on developing the ability to assess different issues from the perspective of these thinkers. It is one of few classes I have taken that noticeably changed the way I think about and evaluate the world.

Secondly, Daniel had a commitment to pushing us to get to the point with the issues of bioethics where we had to stop and say: I just don’t know. It is too complicated and there are too many perspectives. He helped me see many of the ways in which there is no right answer, because different situations are too complex and there is always another perspective or way to think about it. I found it really valuable that he did not present the issues to us as problems that necessarily had a solution. Instead, he was completely focused on giving us the mental tools to hopefully be able to ethically muddle our ways through when we encountered these same issues

in our future careers. He refused to do our thinking and evaluating for us, except to demonstrate how we could do it for ourselves.

Lastly, I was inspired by how Daniel was able to facilitate conversations about very controversial issues without allowing the conversation to get too emotional. Instead we were able to focus on the ethical arguments, which was a unique experience in a world where people already tend to have strong opinions about many ethical issues.

My Most Inspirational Faculty - Dr. Melanie Howard

Mon, 31 May 2021 08:26:51 -0700

At the end of every school year Alpha Chi senior students are encouraged to consider a faculty member who has had an especially profound influence on them. Claire Starbeck selected Dr. Melanie Howard, program director of the Biblical and Theological Studies program.

I first met Dr. Melly at Hume Lake for Freshman Orientation. I was privileged enough to have her as the mentor of my collegium. I remember being so relieved and enthused to meet this new person who was full of energy and seemed to be just as excited to get to know us as I was about getting to know her. Of course she was a fun mentor at orientation and then in our weeklyCP-152 classes, but this was not what has made her stick out to me over the years.

Before we had our official first day of college classes, Dr. Melly let our collegium know that she would be in the cafeteria during lunch each Monday in case we wanted to sit and eat with her. It was called “Mondays with Melly”, and of course I took her up on this! Every Monday, I sought her table out. Dr. Melly would ask how our classes were going, what friends we were making, what we were learning, what we appreciated, what frustrated us; she listened to all of our comments, concerns, and thoughts about not only school but alsoabout our personal lives.These lunches with Dr. Melly continued throughout the years, and I was so pleased to have been invited to continue sitting at Dr. Melly’s lunch table even after my freshman year. I will always remember a specific instance during one of these lunches when a student whom we had just met asked if Dr. Melly and I were sisters. I was so extremely flattered, but ashamedly confessed to not being a relative of Dr. Melly’s. These lunches were also times for us to hear more about Dr.Melly’s personal life.

During my sophomore year, she gave us updates on Zeke, her zucchini plant. We were always excitedly informed of the new leaves that Zeke was growing and the small fruits he had begun to produce. Unfortunately, Zeke is no longer with us, but his weekly progress updates will forever be a memorable time from my Sophomore year. These lunchdays with Dr. Melly show what kind of professor she is. She did not limit her lunch hour to just her collegium students, and I thankfully did not get booted from the club once I was no longer a freshman. Dr. Melly had created this safe space, yes for her students and terrified freshmen, but also for any FPU students of any year or major, and I saw students flourish from her generosity. She always welcomed every person, friend or stranger, to her table with a smile and gave her time to get to know them.These lunch meetings only give a small snapshot of the time and intentionality that Dr. Melly has put into her students.

No matter who they were, Dr. Melly always happily extended her friendship as a professor and a friend. This is the kind of person that Dr. Melly is; she does not just show up and get the job done. She invests her interest in knowing students and building personal relationships with them. I have only ever had Dr. Melly as my mentor and teacher inCP-152—I have not taken any other classes with her– but I believe that this speaks even more to how she invests herself in those around her. Despite our differences, she has always been kind to me. Each semester, I would set up a meeting with her purely for personal reasons. This allowed me the opportunity to admire her impressive rubber ducky collection, but to also just talk about life. This was when I learned about Dr. Melly’s surprisingly rebellious high school years, but it was also when I felt like we could become friends. Dr. Melly was excited and encouraged me when I got engaged, and she and her husband, Jeremiah, attended my wedding– as my mentor

and my friend. This is who Dr. Melly is. This is who I have gotten to know her as through my experiences with her. She always goes a step further than is expected of her, and even then, a step beyond that. She is the image of above and beyond and genuine interest. The enthusiasm that Dr. Melly has shown at FPU about learning and diving into the community has inspired me in my own academic journey to have a similar mindset. Celebrate every victory that you can, and make improvements as you go. As I graduate from FPU, I am happy to have not only my diploma, but good friends such as Dr. Melly whose impact on my education and overall life will always be remembered and treasured. Thank you, Dr. Melly.

Senior Retrospective - Carlos Garcia

Wed, 26 May 2021 08:21:36 -0700

Carlos Garcia was the 2020-21 Student Body President and did a phenomenal job navigating this responsibility along with his senior year. We are excited to share that Carlos has decided to stay at FPU by enrolling in the Strategic and Organizational Leadership MA program.

This past year was not what anybody had anticipated. I and the other 2021 class graduated online following a year of classes held on the same platform. However, despite all the adversity we faced, we still did it. We got through a year that seemed set on stopping us in any way possible.

Even though it was a time of discomfort due to the pandemic, being a Sunbird throughout this experience and being a part of this community made it possible. The commitment of the students in continuing to stay engaged and active in places such as new clubs and in advocacy positions was strong. It displayed an unmatched strength and was a testament to our ability to persevere. FPU faculty and staff also went above and beyond for the students and I thank them for braving these unprecedented challenges with us. I am optimistic that FPU will come back stronger than ever because I know that the faculty and staff are doing everything they can to make coming back and staying safe a priority. This year has put my classmates and I through challenges none of us could have ever expected, but our unity helped us come out on top and our faith in God made it all possible.

Join us as we celebrate Fresno Pacific University’s...

Mon, 10 May 2021 12:37:23 -0700

Join us as we celebrate Fresno Pacific University’s graduating class of 2021.
View the Virtual Commencement here!

Freshman Paragon Scholar Paola Gonzalez-Mendez on her Medieval and Modern History Course with Dr. Pam

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 09:42:26 -0700

Do any of your classes greet you with a song when you first sign in to zoom? Dr. Pam’s class did—and it was awesome. I had the honor of being in Dr. Pam’s History 130H class this spring semester. Particularly, I was in her Tuesday and Thursday 9:20 morning class, Go Greens! From the start I was very excited. I kept hearing rumors about some incredible Dante paper where you had the opportunity to put people in hell—what more did I need to convince me that it was going to be an awesome time?

As the semester progressed I was not let down. I absolutely loved the atmosphere that was created in the class. I found myself always engaged whether we were learning about Charlemagne (it is a must now to sing the song) or about the black plague (spoiler alert: death was quite the Don Juan). Before taking the class I had been intimidated by medieval history in general. I was better acquainted with the epic histories of the Greek and Egyptians, than with the expansion and politics of medieval Europe.

However that worry was short lived.

The class started off with delving into the great ‘Beowulf’– it was a lot bloodier than I expected. I absolutely loved that book; I would consider it my favorite reading from the class. Through all of the readings in class, we followed along as human values and cultures slowly changed. In Ancient Civilizations we had heroes like Achilles and Gilgamesh; however, now we had heroes like Beowulf and even Dante. It was mind blowing to see how human culture had evolved since the ancient civilizations, but perhaps the best part was studying why. One of the biggest factors being religion—the biggest takeaway from this class would be the prominence of religion. Our current world would not be the same without religion–wether that be Christinaity, Islam, or another—and the politics that emerged from it. This was seen in every story, lecture, and even song that we studied in class (I would especially recommend the Charlemagne song). After taking this class I can help but rethink every aspect of our culture based on the foundations we learned about in class.

Another highlight of the class was the community. I had never been in a class where I had interacted with my classmates as much as I did here. As the lectures or discussions progressed, whenever we thought of a witty comment, experience, or question related to the topic, we would share our thoughts with each other. I loved—and I am sure all of us did—that Dr. Pam allowed us to use the zoom chat to foster a community. It made me feel less lonely, more motivated, and like I was a part of a group.

This subject brings me to another point! I can not finish this review without talking about the dedication and passion from Dr. Pam. Her enthusiasm, witty jokes, clever commentary, and cheerfulness kept all of us engaged and eager. Even when school was getting stressful, her class remained the joyous part of my day. I could not wait to see which song Dr. Pam would share with us, how she would relate the material to our everyday life, or simply catch up with Dante and who he was putting in hell this time.

Never will I forget this class.

Our English majors got creative amidst COVID rules and...

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 12:57:53 -0700

Our English majors got creative amidst COVID rules and regulations and hosted a socially-distanced outdoor movie night! Together they discussed the similarities between Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and the film, She’s the Man!

Being An Honors Student-Athlete During CoViD-19Breanna Hurt...

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 09:02:51 -0700

Being An Honors Student-Athlete During CoViD-19

Breanna Hurt (pictured) is a freshman President’s Scholar majoring in History. She has also made an immediate impression on the court!

It is safe to say that the COVID-19 virus has been around a lot longer and done a lot more damage than most of us could have imagined when it first popped up over a year ago. As the virus continued into the summer, I got word that we would be having classes online this year; I did not know what that meant for our basketball season. As it turns out, neither did our coach, Tim Beauregard, for quite some time. Our summer consisted of team Zoom calls and hoping we would be told we get to have a season this year. This process continued until late October when Coach Tim sent out a text that we would all be moving on campus within a couple of days and gearing up to play this season.

Within days the whole team was moved in on campus into the same building together. This was an interesting experience for all of us, but I can say it is an experience none of us would take back. Playing basketball games during a pandemic consisted of a lot of testing, some covid scares and quarantines, many games cancelled, and a lot of stress. Moreover, we had to stay focused on our academics. After what seemed like a long semester of hard work, we were able to achieve a team GPA of 3.65, with multiple players earning a 4.0. Our Coach always stressed to us how important our academics are and encouraged us to give it our all in the classroom, while providing us any support we needed.

As you can see, my freshman year of college is not what I might have expected it to be. Trying to stay on top of my schoolwork while playing basketball and being so isolated was not easy. My semester certainly consisted of a lot of procrastinating. The procrastination added to the stress I was already feeling. However, I am lucky enough to have my family living only about 30 minutes away from the school, so I got to see them occasionally. Even more fortunately, I am blessed to live with my amazing teammates.
Being a student-athlete during Covid is not an easy feat. We stuck together through it all. There were many trips to the bus, and sometimes even to the other school three hours away from home, just for our game to get cancelled. This is the most close-knit group of girls I have ever played with and I would not trade it for the world. There were days we simply did not have the energy to make it through practice, but we all pulled it together and helped each other all the way through with great will and encouragement. This team was incredibly blessed to be able to play this season and make it all the way through without a single positive Covid test. I am proud to have played with such a resilient group of girls and could not have done it without them.

Distance Learning in Honors Modern Civilizations: A Student Reflection

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 08:24:04 -0800

I don’t think anyone knew what to expect for this semester with all the new adjustments we’ve had to make as a university, but I was pleasantly surprised
with Dr. Friesen’s distance-learning Honors Modern Civilizations class. It was clear to me from Day One that he had prepared for these changes over the
summer, and it definitely made his class consistent, intellectually stimulating, and an overall enjoying learning experience. Learning at a distance is not something any of us signed up for, but Dr. Friesen always made it obvious that he was working with us to make sure we could all navigate the world if distance-learning together. His synchronous Zoom lectures were among the most well-structured and practical lectures I had this semester.

Dr. Friesen did an excellent job keeping his class discussion oriented. Since we were no longer meeting together in a classroom, making sure everyone had an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, both collaboratively and individually, was an excellent strategy to make sure that each student was learning at a steady pace and that no one was being left behind. Every week, we would all discuss the answer to a hypothetical question about modern history that Dr. Friesen would write and post on Moodle, and our grade was based on both our response as well as our ability to engage with each other. I think that his discussion-driven teaching style lent itself very well to distance-learning.

We also interacted with a good number of primary texts as we covered different topics throughout modern history. When studying the French Revolution, we read a few passages from Robespierre. When reading about England’s Glorious Revolution, we read a couple excerpts from Thomas Paine and John Locke. Reading these primary sources helped contextualize the historical events we were covering and helped us better understand why these events took place. Given the breadth and depth of all the material we went over this semester, it definitely felt like an honors class, and I’m very glad that I decided to take up the added challenge.
Also, Dr. Friesen is just a gem of a human being. He is kind, patient, encouraging, and always easy to get a hold of…on top of being a smart guy! I was very pleased both with him as a professor and his curriculum. He has definitely done everything in his power to make the transition to distance-learning as painless as possible, and it definitely showed this semester. I look forward to studying Cultural Geography with him in the spring!

Star Wars Incorporated into our FPU Course Catalogue this Fall: A Student Reflection

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:31:52 -0800

A long time ago, approximately one semester ago, in a college far, far away, approximately twenty minutes away, a brave college freshman decided to take on one of the greatest threats to any undergraduate’s galaxy: an Honors Writing Class, and it was one of the best decisions she has ever made.

To begin, I would like to be entirely honest in saying that outside of a general understanding of what the key terms “Star Wars,” “Writing,” and “Honors” implied, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I applied to take this course. While I have always been a fan of both the Star Wars franchise and writing as an activity, a part of me felt majorly unprepared for the academic undertaking of the term “Honors” insinuated in the course title. Despite this fear, I chose to step out in faith and try something new by taking this class, and I am so thankful that I did.

While the title of this class made me feel as though a comprehensive understanding of both Star Wars and writing was a prerequisite, I was relieved to discover that neither was a requirement.

Regardless of what stage you find yourself in terms of Star Wars knowledge and comprehensive writing experience, this course is made for you, specifically to help expand your knowledge and understanding in both areas. The course is split up into four distinct units, each consisting of their own unique set of course materials including films, lectures, readings, class journal entries, and short writing assignments, or SWA’s as we seminar students call them, that all lead up in preparation for the Major Writing Assignment (MA) that concludes the unit. At the beginning of each unit, I would download and review the MA prompt and rubric in order to get a general overview of the final product I needed to produce in order to progress to the next stage, and every time I would panic and think to myself, “How on earth am I going to be able to accomplish this?”

However, all that fear was rendered unwarranted at the end of each unit because by the time you put in the work, keeping up with the films, readings, lessons, and short writing assignments, as well as engaging in the class
discussions, the final paper practically writes itself. Once you submit that paper, you get to take a moment and feel proud, looking back on how you had panicked a few weeks before, and suddenly realize how much wiser you are now
compared to then with all of the new writing skills you have mastered and the Star Wars knowledge you have acquired. That is until you read the prompt for the next Major Assignment and begin the cycle of panic to the final
product all over again. The cycle is entirely worth it though! Nothing trumps the feeling of fulfillment that genuine, recognizable progress can bring, which is something that this class ensures for those who put in the work.

To conclude, I would like to state that I am so thankful I took this course. Professor Larson is an inspiring and understanding instructor who expertly designed this course to meet you where you are in terms of Star Wars knowledge and writing ability, and then encourage you to grow in said areas. Both the Star Wars fan and the writer in me rose to a level beyond what I could have anticipated before taking this course, and the best part is, I had the opportunity to grow alongside other individuals that experienced their own unique personal growth in these same areas. I highly encourage anyone who is seeking an enjoyable challenge, a unique learning experience, and a welcoming learning environment to take this class. From a fan of both Star Wars and this class: May the course be with you!

Ray Nickson, Ph.D., associate professor and program director...

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 10:00:56 -0800

Ray Nickson, Ph.D., associate professor and program director of criminology, and Alice Neikirk, Ph.D., assistant professor of criminology, have had an article accepted for publication in the interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal Social Science. “Potlatch Justice” examines how restorative justice has come to represent sovereignty and cultural identity for two tribes in southern Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw Indians and the Coquille Indian Tribe. The publication represents one dimension of this lengthy collaboration with both tribes, and incorporates extensive interviews with elders and tribal members.

FPU leads independent colleges and universities in California Ballot Bowl

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:34:59 -0800

FPU leads independent colleges and universities in California Ballot Bowl:

With Election Day around the corner, Fresno Pacific rose to the top of the leaderboard as the institution with the highest percentage of the student body registered to vote among Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) members in the California University and College Ballot Bowl.

To say that this semester has not gone the way that we all...

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:16:37 -0700

To say that this semester has not gone the way that we all expected it to go would be a great understatement. Though many of us have held onto optimism through these challenging months, it has also been a time characterized by anxiety and struggle. During times like these, many people turn (or return) to faith due to the hope it brings. Faith brings people together. Faith tells us that in the grand scheme of things, everything is going to be alright. Faith tells us that there is meaning behind what our eyes perceive as chaos. Faith is just what we have all needed in a year like this one.

Ironically, during the COVID-19 lockdown, many outlets for faith gatherings have also been shut down or restricted due to health concerns, including chapel services and other college hour events at Fresno Pacific. These would normally be times for students, staff, and faculty to come together in unity around Christ and as members of the FPU community to seek spiritual wisdom and the life that such gatherings bring. Though these types of meetings have unfortunately been cancelled this semester, I am happy to say that the team at the Office of Spiritual Formation and Diversity have continued to create virtual spaces for gathering and meeting the spiritual needs of the community. These have included Monday morning prayer meetings, Wednesday pre-recorded chapel devotionals through the book of Acts, as well as the highly attended Friday CHIRP events. Though the virtual setting has not been ideal, these opportunities for community and spiritual growth have remained an important part of campus life at FPU this fall for me and others who have attended.

I’d like to share an example of the way that faith transcends our ability to meet in person each week from my own experience this Monday morning at our prayer meeting. I sat at my desk in front of my computer, listening as devoted FPU community members prayed for our students, staff, faculty, and the Fresno community (churches, nonprofits, and violence in our city). At the end of the meeting, our campus chaplain Brian Davis encouraged us to join him in praying aloud the Lord’s Prayer, specifically highlighting the lines, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” As I prayed these lines, I was moved to tears as I recognized our great need for God’s kingdom of love and life at this point in history where those things can feel difficult to come by. But these were not so much tears of grief and mourning as they were tears of longing and hope for that kingdom which Jesus taught us about and embodied.

In this moment of communal prayer, I was simultaneously struck by the reality of God’s faithfulness and my own longing for the day that Jesus himself will wipe every tear from the eyes of those who now mourn. I believe that day will come, and I am thankful for leaders in my life and at my university who have offered the space for faith and hope to grow even in the current virtual environment that we are living in.

Despite the present challenges, our instrumental music...

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 12:34:32 -0700

Despite the present challenges, our instrumental music students are still able to come “together” virtually and create beautiful music!

Hymn Setting from FPU Symphonic Band
Gott des Hummels und der Erden by J.S. Bach

FPU During A Fully Virtual Semester by Joseph Avila

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:30:19 -0700

A month ago, I began my first day of college. I woke up, got dressed, had breakfast, brushed my teeth and began my morning commute… to the couch. Many of us had a very similar experience at the start of the semester. I cannot say I was totally disappointed, afterall, I was granted an extra hour of sleep and an extra cozy seat. Under these less than ideal circumstances, I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my university experience.

My name is Joseph Avila and I am a freshman here at FPU. I am the oldest of two brothers in a family of four and live in the town of Reedley, California. My father emigrated from Mexico about thirty years ago, married my mother, and a mere seven years later I was born. A couple years after that, my little brother was born.

Around the end of the last school year, I was coming to terms with the fact that I would no longer be living with my family. They would be a short drive away, of course, but I was about to experience independence and responsibility as I never had before. I was scared that my first toe dip into the pool of the big, wide, menacing adult world would see me pulled under, gasping for the air that had sustained my naive hubris, but I was also exhilarated by the prospect of taking the plunge and embracing the shock of newfound freedom.

Of course, that plunge never quite packed the punch I had anticipated. I was disappointed to learn that classes would move online, but also grateful to have more time with my family. After all, borrowed time tends to beg the most gratitude.

Over the past six months we have relegated many of the activities traditionally done in public to the home. From movies to meetings, the rest of the world has primarily manifested itself through screens. This new way of living has been challenging at times, but we are slowly learning to acclimate. Yet, we know this is not a state we will ever fully get used to. Being face to face with professors, classmates, and friends is an experience that is simply not replicable through a screen.

Even so, new opportunities continue to present themselves and new experiences continue to be made. Before the start of the semester, another student invited me to join a class that had piqued my interest a few months before. A couple of weeks into the semester, I was invited to a zoom meeting to get to know some of my fellow classmates. Yesterday, I enjoyed sitting around the dinner table with my family. While these events may have ordinarily seemed more or less mundane, in these hyper-monotonous times, they have become memorable moments of joy and comradery.

This semester, I hope to meet and get to know new people. Most importantly, I hope to embark on the (for myself) simultaneously terrifying and rewarding journey of seeking out new friends. Already I’ve had opportunities to create the beginnings of relationships with classmates and professors and even to informally meet outside of class. I also have set a goal to grow as a person and push myself a bit outside my comfort zone by speaking out more in class and even writing this very article.

I have been trying to focus on small glimmers of everyday goodness. Whether that means speaking to a new person, taking a risk, or hearing my dad tell the same joke for the hundredth time at the dinner table, these opportunities have become all the more meaningful where life may seem otherwise dull and stagnant. Let us not forget that we embark on this semester together, though apart, and that we can remind each other to focus on life’s small sparkles of beauty, for they are the reflection of the bright sun of a better tomorrow.

The Syrinx – The student newspaper of Fresno Pacific University

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:35:14 -0700

The Syrinx – The student newspaper of Fresno Pacific University:

Did you know that our student newspaper, The Syrinx, is an award-winning paper?

Students from all over campus come together to produce editions of the paper for our FPU community. You’re always sure to find an FPU perspective on current events, the latest news, opinions and more.

National ratings affirm Fresno Pacific University’s success in providing a hope and a future to students and communities

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 12:01:01 -0700

National ratings affirm Fresno Pacific University’s success in providing a hope and a future to students and communities:

U.S. News & World Report placed FPU at number three in the social mobility category and at 27 in best values among Regional Universities—West in its 2021 Best Colleges rankings released today. Washington Monthly affirmed the best value message, ranking FPU at 35 on that list, released August 31. All three rankings were up from last year, when U.S. News rated FPU number four in social mobility and 35 in best value, and Washington Monthly listed FPU at 50 among best values.

“We are most proud of our number three rating as a top performer in social mobility because we love seeing economically disadvantaged students being successful and receiving their bachelor’s degree. The Central Valley has significantly fewer people with B.A. degrees compared to California as a whole. This ranking shows FPU is very affordable and students graduate quickly coming from either high school or community college,” said Jon Endicott, vice president for enrollment management.

Last year, students Seth Garcia and Calvin...

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 11:27:19 -0700

Last year, students Seth Garcia and Calvin Abbott created a nearly to-scale replica of the FPU campus on Minecraft. They spent many hours working on this for Professor Chris Janzen’s Fall 2019 Art Appreciation course, as part of the “Creativity Assignment”. The purpose of the assignment was to investigate the root purpose of studying art: the cultivation of creative thought. Students were invited to create their own artwork in whatever media they chose; the more innovative and unprecedented the better.

“The world was my idea, but I totally meant it as a joke,” says Seth. “When Chris Jansen talked about our ‘Creativity Project’, I jokingly told Calvin that we should make the school in Minecraft. But Calvin loved the idea so we asked Chris and he said that it was an idea he had never heard of in his teaching career. We built the school on Calvin’s Xbox and we would each take a building on campus and build it. We would take Calvin’s scooter and scoot around campus taking pictures so we can get accurate images. Even when Calvin would go home for the weekend, I borrowed his Xbox so I could build alone. It was honestly so much fun building it.”

Calvin adds, “I recall having no clue what I should do for the creativity project. Having sat by my buddy Seth, one day he said that a good idea would be building FPU in Minecraft. He didn’t seem serious about it, but from the moment Seth shared his idea my mind sparked with visions of what FPU would look like in the virtual world of Minecraft. With 157 hours of collaborative efforts, Seth and I slowly brought to reality a life size version of FPU in the virtual world of Minecraft. For me, this project has embodied the outcome of what can be accomplished when even a few decide to work as a team.”