LAPU SEARCH RESULTS

Matthew Womack teaches Humanities at LAPU. A higher education manager, he helps students understand themselves as learners and build academic confidence. Humanities Matthew Womack Education: MA, Azusa Pacific University College Professional Experience: Manager of Support Central. I have had diverse working experience in various departments within higher education. I have managed teams of financial aid counselors and academic advisors. I have also worked in Enrollment helping students with the initial admissions process. Prior to my time in higher education, I worked in corporate sales working with mid-market businesses. Courses Taught MO 101 My Passion: Having a chance to partner with students through their degree is a special opportunity. I enjoy helping students gain an understanding of who they are as learners as well as who they are beyond the classroom. I find great joy in helping students gain confidence in their abilities throughout the academic journey. Hobbies: Hiking, reading, listening to music, spending time with family and friends.

Meet Tara Lopez, Associate Director of Student Success at LAPU, guiding students with academic planning, encouragement, and support to graduation. Tara Lopez Associate Director of Student Success

Ray Crum teaches Liberal Studies/Education at LAPU. A NASA spacecraft manager and aerospace engineer, he shares the real-world applications of the math he teaches. Liberal Studies / Education Ray Crum Education: Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering Professional Experience: 35 years of engineering and engineering management experience at Lockheed, Honeywell, and NASA JPL. Supported the following projects: Hubble Space Telescope, Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, and Europa Clipper. Courses Taught MTH 099, MTH 105, MTH 125 My Passion: I love helping people learn! With mathematics, I love to share the practical, real-world applications of the math I am teaching. One of my biggest thrills is to see the student comprehend the material being taught. Hobbies: Traveling, hiking, baseball, cycling, reading

Ronda Jantz teaches Business / Management at LAPU. An economics instructor and quantitative analysis evaluator, she teaches subjects that aid better decisions. Business / Management Ronda Jantz Education: MS Economics Professional Experience: Instructional Mentor and Economics Instructor, Liberty University Healthcare Economics Instructor, UNCW Evaluator, Quantitative Analysis, WGU Courses Taught ECON 203, STAT 280, BUSN 340 My Passion: I love teaching students! The subjects I teach help us to make better decisions. Hobbies: Home Restoration, Reading, Traveling, Homeschooling

Sheiveh Jones teaches Liberal Studies / Education at LAPU. An EdD-holding education director, she meets students where they are to move learning forward. Liberal Studies / Education Sheiveh Jones Education: MS Electronic Commerce, National University EDd Organizational Leadership, University of LaVerne Professional Experience: Director, San Diego County Office of Education. Professional area of expertise: Teacher preparation programs, teacher evaluation, California Standards for the Teaching Profession, Accreditation, Cognitive and Instructional Coaching Courses Taught Math 302 My Passion: I am passionate about always doing the right thing by students, understanding that we have to meet students where they are to move them forward in their learning. Hobbies: Exercising, hiking, skiing, crocheting, family and puppy time!

Discover the mission, faith, and values that define Los Angeles Pacific University. Learn about our commitment to faith, life, and learning, as well as our dedication to diversity, inclusion, and academic freedom. What We Believe At Los Angeles Pacific University, those who learn together form the fabric of our Christ-centered university community. Mission-Driven Community Shared values, mutual respect, and hospitality are cherished attributes that each member helps build and works hard to safeguard. We do not take this responsibility lightly and remain grateful to be part of the educational plurality of the great state of California. Faith integration, student care, service, diversity, and religious expression combine to form the essence of our mission-driven community. Commitment to Faith, Life, and Learning Los Angeles Pacific University teaches and serves from a Christian worldview through a holistic understanding and practice of promoting faith, life, and learning. We believe the entire LAPU community is called to contribute to cultivating hope through learning and we accomplish this through our core values of being Exemplary, Caring, and focused on Learning. We are committed to preparing individuals not only with the skills and attitudes to thrive in their community and workplace, but also to point the way to something bigger — to the ultimate hope that is in Jesus Christ. As it relates to students, LAPU conceives the promotion of faith, life, and learning as engaging students in learning (through curriculum design, instruction, and student support) that reflects the Christian worldview of LAPU and culminates in the realization of hope in our students. As a result of this process (through their interactions and study at LAPU) our students will be able to: apply a Christian worldview to their life and work in the world; articulate how and in what ways their life journeys connect to God’s story; engage with diverse faith perspectives within the learning community at LAPU; and, recognize God’s work in the world through all academic disciplines. Learn more about Faith, Life, and Learning at LAPU. Religious Expression The precious freedom to express our religious tenets is recognized by the United States and California Constitutions. Other federal and state laws likewise support the opportunity for Los Angeles Pacific University and other religious higher education institutions to weave religious beliefs into all aspects of university life. For example, exemptions in Title IX (20 U.S.C. section 1681(a)(3)) and the California Equity in Higher Education Act (Cal. Ed. Code section 66271) support Los Angeles Pacific’s efforts to operate consistently with its religious tenets by maintaining faith-based standards of behaviors that all community members voluntarily agree to follow as a condition of living and learning in our community. These laws provide Los Angeles Pacific and other religious institutions with the discretion to thoughtfully make policies and build community expectations around our mission to advance the work of God in the world through academic excellence and to help students develop a Christian perspective on truth and life. Statement of Faith As an educational institution with a Wesleyan tradition at its core, it seems natural to us to embrace a statement of faith that is common among many Christian traditions. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God. We believe that there is one God, creator of heaven and earth, eternally existent in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, and in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return to power and glory. We believe in the fall and consequent total moral depravity of humanity, resulting in our exceeding sinfulness and lost estate, and necessitating our regeneration by the Holy Spirit. We believe in the present and continuing ministry of sanctification by the Holy Spirit by whose infilling the believing Christian is cleansed and empowered for a life of holiness and service. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are saved to the resurrection of life and those who are lost to the resurrection of damnation. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. Statement of Academic Freedom At Los Angeles Pacific University, we believe that all truth is God’s truth and that God has made it possible for humankind to access, discover, and understand truth. We also affirm that the knowledge of truth will always be incomplete and that people, including those with educational credentials, are fallible and may interpret data and ideas imperfectly. Therefore, academic freedom from a Christ-centered perspective must be carried out with civility, mature judgment, and the awareness of the broad representation of Christian faith that exists within this institution. Accordingly, LAPU affirms its commitment to freedom of inquiry and expression in academic endeavors. The university recognizes that academic freedom has historically been defined both by broadly accepted academic standards and by the mission and character of the institution in which it is practiced. LAPU seeks to maintain an academic community in which lecturers are free to engage in rigorous scholarly inquiry and expression within an intellectual context shaped by the evangelical Christian tradition. In addition to this freedom, LAPU seeks to pursue scholarly inquiry and expression in a way that extends and enriches the academic disciplines from the unique resources provided by the institution’s identity. Thus, at LAPU, academic freedom is defined both by the commonly accepted standards of the academy and by those commitments articulated in the documents that are central to the university’s identity as a Christian university. These documents articulate the central commitments which shape the academic community, and thus the practice of academic freedom, at LAPU: a belief in God as the Creator of all things, in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, in the Holy Spirit as teacher and guide, in Scripture as God’s authoritative and infallible revelation, and in the Christian community as an expression and vehicle of God’s redemptive work in this world. The university follows these principles in its practice of academic freedom: Lecturers are entitled to the rights and privileges and bear the obligations, of academic freedom in the performance of their duties. Specifically, lecturers are free to pursue truth and knowledge within their disciplines in the classroom, in their research and writings, and in other public statements in their field of professional competence. At all times lecturers should strive for accuracy, exercise appropriate restraint, and show respect for the opinions of others. Lecturers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject. Lecturers should be careful not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter which has no relation to the subject. While lecturers are members of the global community, as scholars and members of the LAPU community, lecturers should remain cognizant that the public will form perceptions of their profession and their institution by their utterances. In the practice of the academic vocation, complaints against lecturers may be generated. Lecturers shall be protected from any request to retract or modify their research, publication, or teaching merely because a complaint has been received. Only complaints alleging lecturers’ violations of professional standards of the discipline or of advocating positions incompatible with the central commitments of LAPU as a Christian university shall be considered, and then only when the evidence supporting the allegation is more substantial than a rumor, inference, or hearsay. In the event that a lecturer believes his or her academic freedom has been unduly restricted, he or she may pursue resolution of this issue through the existing lecturer grievance procedure as articulated in the Academic Handbook. Apply Today The online application is free and only takes a few minutes. Get Started Get in Touch We’d love to hear from you. We’re here to help. CONTACT US

Jacqueline Vara teaches Humanities and Liberal Studies / Education at LAPU. A PhD-holding Spanish professor, she encourages students in their God-given purpose. Humanities, Liberal Studies / Education Jacqueline Vara Education: PhD, Biola University; MS Counseling (MFCC), California State University, Fullerton Professional Experience: Spanish Lecturer; Spanish Adjunct Professor; Spanish teacher; Academic-Matriculation Counselor in Higher Education; Vice-President & Executive Director of a non-profit organization. Courses Taught SPAN 101, SPAN 102 My Passion: I enjoy partnering and encouraging students in learning and to live out their God-given life purpose. Hobbies: Dedicated to serving LAPU students and serving the community as an advocate for homeless women, children, and families; spending time with family; avid reader.

Discover how your life story connects with God’s greater plan at Los Angeles Pacific University. Explore videos, personal testimonies, and reflections on faith and learning. Our Story. God’s Story. Connecting Our Story with God’s Story All of us have a unique story — our collection of life experiences, passions, and goals. But if God is the ultimate author of our story, what’s our part? Explore the resources below on how your story connects to God’s story. LISTEN Dana Wheeldon Dana Wheeldon, Applied Psychology major, shares how she has experienced her story being integrated into God’s story. WATCH Finding Alignment LAPU Assistant Dean Craig Brewer shares how his story aligns with God’s story. Read Dr. Brant Himes reflects on the implications of connecting our educational journeys to the greater plan of God for our lives. Read his essay here. Financial aid counselor, Kris Uppendahl, shares a devotional about the power and significance of God’s story for all of humanity. Read the devotion here. We asked our students to share how their story connects with God’s story. Read their inspiring stories here. Apply Today The online application is free and only takes a few minutes. Get Started Get in Touch We’d love to hear from you. We’re here to help. CONTACT US

Roberto Rodriguez Baez teaches Health Sciences at LAPU. A DHSc-holding physician and former general surgeon with deep expertise in pathophysiology. Health Sciences Roberto Rodriguez Baez Education: DHSc, A. T. Still University of Health Sciences; MS, New York Chiropractic College; MD, Higher Institute of Medical Sciences Professional Experience: Visiting Professor of Advanced Pathophysiology, Chamberlain University; Professor, Team Leader, and Subject Matter Expert, University of New England; Professor and Subject Matter Expert, Southern New Hampshire University. I practiced as a General Surgeon for almost 15 years and have spent over 26 years teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels in online, hybrid, and face-to-face teaching environments. As a Subject Matter Expert, I have created the content of over 15 courses currently used in regional accredited universities and colleges. Courses Taught BIO 230, BIO 235, BIO 240, MPH 650 My Passion: I love practicing and teaching medical and health sciences. Helping students to become future successful healthcare practitioners to support, cure, and change people’s lives is my goal. I enjoy showing people the way to meet God from a scientific point of view. Hobbies: Enjoying with family and friends, reading, watching movies

Discover how faith, life, and learning intersect to bring hope at Los Angeles Pacific University. Explore our commitment to Christian values, personal growth, and academic success. The Realization of Hope How Hope Relates to Faith, Life, & Learning The LAPU community’s Commitment to Faith, Life, and Learning is how the university’s Christian Worldview (including its mission, vision, and core values) leads to the realization of hope. LAPU’s Christian worldview — as expressed in our mission, vision, and core values — permeates the university and guides our: development of programs delivered in the context of faith; selection of faculty who teach and serve from a Christian worldview; establishment of an institutional culture that seeks to honor God in our actions; enrollment of students from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and worldviews. The realization of hope includes graduating from a program, personal growth, gainful employment, community engagement, and spiritual growth. WATCH “Learning is an act of hope” Watch as LAPU instructor, Dr. Brant Himes, shares how learning creates hope for the future and all that God has in store for our lives. LISTEN Leaning on hope Listen to an interview with LAPU student Christina Ranney who talks about leaning on hope for her goals and future to overcome obstacles. LISTEN Your personal story LAPU Enrollment Counselor, Zinat Heredia, shares a devotional about the power of building hope through your personal story. Read Read this article as Dr. Robert Carter explains how Faith, Life, and Learning are expressed in the Master of Public Heath program. Apply Today The online application is free and only takes a few minutes. Get Started Get in Touch We’d love to hear from you. We’re here to help. CONTACT US

Meet Rylee Ellis, Success Coach at LAPU, supporting students with academic planning, advising, and encouragement from their first class to graduation. Rylee Ellis Success Coach

Daniel Terrones serves as Associate Vice President of Information Technology at Los Angeles Pacific University, helping lead LAPU's tech strategy. Daniel Terrones Associate Vice President, Information Technology