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APU Names David Shynn Vice President Over Strategy, Enrollment, and Engagement
APU Names David Shynn Vice President Over Strategy, Enrollment, and Engagement
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APU Names David Shynn Vice President Over Strategy, Enrollment, and Engagement
April 22, 2026
Azusa Pacific University
President Adam J. Morris
, PhD, has named
David Shynn
, MBA, as vice president of the newly formed Division of Strategy, Enrollment, and
Engagement (SEE). Shynn assumes leadership of this division effective immediately,
bringing innovative practices and holistic alignment to the university’s primary engine
for institutional growth.
“Following several months of deep prayer and discernment, I am thrilled to announce
that I have asked David Shynn to assume permanent leadership of the newly formed Strategy,
Enrollment, and Engagement division,” Morris said. “David has been the primary architect
and steward of our strategic plan,
The Nehemiah Initiative
, focusing his talents on optimizing our business model for a sustainable future.
Beyond being data-driven and outcomes-oriented, David is a deeply trusted member of
our APU family.”
As the head of the SEE, Shynn will assume vital Enrollment Management responsibilities.
He will provide strategic leadership and direction to attract students to APU’s richly
diverse Christian university campus, community, and culture. Collaborating with key
stakeholders, Shynn will lead the design, development, and implementation of a comprehensive
and innovative strategic enrollment plan.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to lead the newly integrated Division of Strategy,
Enrollment, and Engagement,” Shynn said.
By aligning our university’s strategic roadmap with our enrollment and communication
efforts, we can more effectively serve our current and prospective students, while
ensuring APU continues to innovate and thrive as one of the top Christian universities
in California.
David Shynn, MBA
In his continuing role steering university strategy, Shynn will help design and implement
APU’s strategic roadmap. He is tasked with building a plan that operationalizes and
accelerates APU's vision, providing clear lines of ownership, measurable targets,
and timetables to gauge effectiveness, increase revenue, and position the university
for growth and flourishing. To collaboratively ensure APU’s academic offerings meet
emerging needs, Shynn will partner with the Provost’s office and use market research
to identify programs that build upon APU’s strengths and have the greatest potential
for positive impact. Furthermore, he will monitor near- and long-term trends affecting
higher education to forecast future opportunities, while providing collaborative leadership
to regional campuses and enhancing APU's approach to online education through ongoing
partnership with Los Angeles Pacific University. Shynn will also lead the development
of APU’s Campus Master Plan, as the university strategically improves utilization
of its East and West Campuses in Azusa for an optimal student experience. In overseeing
APU’s Department of Marketing, Communication, and Engagement, Shynn will ensure that
all university-wide brand cohesion across all channels of engagement.
Prior to joining APU, Shynn served as vice president for transformation at Biola University,
where he worked closely with enrollment management to bring strategy, innovation,
and discipline to the university’s main revenue generator.
Shynn holds a Master of Business Administration from Biola University and a Bachelor
of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine. He has completed
executive education in change and organizational renewal at Stanford University and
management and leadership in education at Harvard University.