APU History - Mission, Timeline and Presidents - 1899
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God First
for 125 Years—Azusa Pacific’s History
God First
since 1899. For 125 years, Azusa Pacific has remained committed to the vision on
which it was founded—preparing disciples and scholars to go out and make a difference
in the world for Christ.
Modest Beginnings
Azusa Pacific University, one of the largest Christian universities in the nation
today, began on March 3, 1899, when a group of women and men passionate about creating
a place for Christian education gathered to form the Training School for Christian
Workers. It became the first Bible college on the West Coast geared toward preparing
men and women for ministry and service. Meeting in a modest home in Whittier, California,
and led by President Mary A. Hill, the school grew to an enrollment of 12 in its first
term.
The early years of growth saw the school relocate and change leadership several times.
Then, following mergers with three Southern California colleges, the university relocated
in 1946 to the city of Azusa, where it resides today.
Leading the Way
The mergers and early growth of the university brought great strides, as well as great
challenges, and yet the focus on the school’s core vision never wavered.
In 1939, Cornelius P. Haggard, ThD, became the school’s 13
th
president. Among his many accomplishments, Haggard launched a variety of innovative
fundraising efforts, including the annual Dinner Rally that continues today. He traveled
the U.S. to raise resources for the school, trusting God would provide to meet the
university’s needs. Haggard served for the next 36 years, achieving many significant
milestones along the way.
After Haggard’s death, Paul E. Sago, PhD, became president, serving until 1989. Among
his many accomplishments, Sago encouraged the development and growth of off-site educational
regional campuses throughout Southern California, and presided over the addition of
master’s degree programs and the development of schools within the university.
Richard E. Felix, PhD, became president in 1990. Felix played an instrumental role
in initiating the university’s first doctoral programs. He also reframed the university’s
values as
Four Cornerstones
—Christ, Scholarship, Community, and Service—and oversaw the construction of seven
new buildings, a doubling of student enrollment, and the quadrupling of graduate programs.
In 2000, Jon R. Wallace, DBA, an Azusa Pacific alumnus, assumed the role of president.
Wallace served the university for a total of 43 years, including 19 as president.
Known for his passion, energy, and connection with the campus community, he led the
university through a period of growth, focusing on providing meaningful, transformational
scholarship. Under his leadership, the university expanded its graduate program offerings;
added new study away opportunities, including the South Africa campus; and completed
several new buildings, including the $54 million Segerstrom Science Center.
Looking to the Future
In April 2019, Paul W. Ferguson, PhD, DABT, was named the 17
th
president of Azusa Pacific University. Ferguson, who was previously president of
Ball State University, president of the University of Maine, and the founding dean
of the School of Science, Technology, and Health at Biola University, led APU through
the development and implementation of a seven-year strategic plan,
Renewal: Strengthening Our Capacity for Cultivating Christ-Centered Scholars and Leaders.
President Ferguson also guided APU through the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic
as the university community transitioned to mandated remote learning while balancing
institutional fiscal discipline and community care, enabling a safe, strategic return
to campus in fall 2021.
Andrew Barton, EdD, vice president for strategic planning and mission integration,
was named interim president, effective November 5, 2021, following President Ferguson’s
retirement, and continued the work of implementing
Renewal
In July 2022, APU welcomed its 18
th
president, Adam J. Morris, PhD. Having received unanimous support from the board,
Morris is a nationally recognized and accomplished senior administrator and lifelong
advocate for Christian higher education. Morris’ distinguished 30-year career is marked
by visionary leadership, stellar strategic planning skills, and significant advancement
expertise that have fueled organizational transformation and innovation and brought
hundreds of millions of dollars in support of mission-focused endeavors. He will advance
APU’s
God First
mission of graduating a new generation of disciples and scholars to make a difference
in the world for Christ.
A Leader in Christian Higher Education
Today, APU offers 59
bachelor’s degrees
, 34
master’s degrees
, 35
certificates and credentials
, and 7
doctoral programs
. APU has more than 7,000 students at its
main campus in Azusa
several regional locations across Southern California
, and
online
. The university holds accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission
as well as 14 other specialized accreditations.
The university’s
award-winning intercollegiate athletics program
consists of 18 teams. Before becoming a member of the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) Division II in fall 2012, Cougar Athletics won an unprecedented
eight consecutive National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Directors’
Cup awards. APU also belongs to the Pacific West Conference in all sports except for
women’s water polo, which belongs to the Golden Coast Conference (GCC); women’s swimming
and diving, which belongs to the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference (PCSC);
and women’s acrobatics and tumbling, which belongs to the National Collegiate Acrobatics
& Tumbling Association (NCATA).
Through all this, Azusa Pacific continues advancing its core mission, preparing and
graduating students who go on to make a difference in the lives of others. Learn more
by watching the
stories of alumni like these
as they carry on that tradition while inspiring future generations.
University Presidents
Term
Name
1900-01
Mary A. Hill
1901-03
Anna Draper
1903-04
Bertha Pinkham Dixon
1904-09
Matilda Atkinson
1909-19
William P. Pinkham
1919-23
Eli Reece
1923-24
Lowell H. Coate
1924-27
George A. McLaughlin
1927-31
Ray L. Carter
1931-36
David H. Scott
1936-37
B.C. Johnson
1937-39
William Kirby
1939-75
Cornelius P. Haggard
1976-1989
Paul E. Sago
1990-2000
Richard E. Felix
2000-19
Jon R. Wallace
2019-21
Paul W. Ferguson
2022-Present
Adam J. Morris
University Timeline
Accreditation History