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78-455: The Golden State Athletic Conference was formed in the fall of 1986, with Azusa Pacific University , California Lutheran University , Fresno Pacific University , Point Loma Nazarene University , Vanguard University and Westmont College as the charter members. California Baptist University and Concordia University joined the GSAC in the fall of the following year (1987). Cal Lutheran left

156-858: A Los Angeles Regional Site, a Monrovia Regional Site, and five additional off-site regional centers in Southern California: The Azusa Pacific athletic teams are called the Cougars. The university is a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) for most of its sports since the 2012–13 academic year; while its women's swimming & diving team competes in

234-646: A Methodist evangelist laid the foundation for the Training School for Christian Workers in 1899. As faculty members began to embrace Evangelicalism and reject a growing liberal trend in the California Yearly Meeting of Friends, a campus church was established in 1933. This shift moved the "school church" from the local Huntington Park Friends Church to the on-campus worship gathering. The new campus church planted eight "tabernacles" throughout California which collectively became known as

312-486: A Student Government Association . The university also hosts military and veteran services, including active duty military and veteran benefits, scholarships, and programs. Music ensemble offerings include choral ensembles, vocal groups, large ensembles, chamber ensembles, commercial ensembles, and orchestral groups. Music groups require an audition, and perform at local churches as well as state and national orchestral and symphonic events. In addition to these ensembles,

390-504: A Veterans Club intended to create a network for veterans transitioning into academic life. The club hosts regular meetings and community service opportunities. In 2016, APU was recognized by Diverse Issues in Higher Education as one of the nation's top schools in awarding degrees to minority students. The university ranked among the top 100 in 11 baccalaureate categories, and ranked 5th for awarding Hispanic master's degrees in

468-764: A diploma and a graduate program. Since 2005 the diploma program, under the name of Ambassador College of Christian Ministry, has continued as a GCI training program in Christian ministry, administered under the auspices of the GCI affiliate in Australia at www.ambascol.org. Grace Communion Seminary, administered from Glendora , California, limits its educational programs to graduate level courses in pastoral ministry. All programs are open to academically qualified men and women who desire to expand their education in biblical studies and theology and their service in pastoral ministry in

546-763: A diversity plan based on a 2016 UCLA Climate Study conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute assessing APU's social climate. The center collaborates with the Council of Christian Colleges & Universities on national diversity-related projects. For eight consecutive years, Azusa Pacific has been named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary leadership in civic engagement, service-learning, and building community partnerships. Azusa Pacific University, as one of 115 U.S. institutions named to

624-401: A four-year format. In the fall of 1990, students and staff from Pasadena were transferred, as plans were underway to seek accreditation. Numerous buildings were constructed almost overnight, including five dormitories, an administration building, a music building and lecture hall, and an office building. Accreditation was achieved in the summer of 1994. However, doctrinal division began to occur

702-680: A large portion of a related project on the other side of the freeway was foreclosed. The Westgate project was unaffected. In the Fall of 2010, TBS released the Glory Daze about 1980s college life which was filmed in the buildings and on the campus of the former Ambassador College in Pasadena. In 2013, TBS released the reality show King of the Nerds , also filmed on the campus. The former Fine Arts and Science buildings were demolished in 2013 with

780-685: A member of the National Association of Evangelicals). Grace Communion Seminary is a business name of Ambassador College (AC), and a California non-profit religious corporation with federal 501(c)(3) status, founded in 1947 at Pasadena, California, as a church-related liberal arts college. In 1990 AC transferred its student body to an affiliated campus in Texas . In 2003 Ambassador College, doing business as Ambassador College of Christian Ministry, began offering courses online in areas of biblical studies, theology, and Christian ministry, providing

858-663: A one-year course ("Diploma in Biblical Studies"), with graduation thereafter, on September 4, 1979. Eventually, Ambassador returned to full four-year status, operating with state approval, but still without regional accreditation. Accreditation was something Armstrong did not agree with. In 1981, Herbert Armstrong decided to reopen the Texas campus, which was still owned by the church. In 1985 he decided to close that campus again. In January 1986 Armstrong died, and his successor as church leader, Joseph W. Tkach , decided to keep

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936-539: A related Ambassador International Cultural Foundation it sponsored both the Ambassador Auditorium concert series and many appearances by Herbert Armstrong in the company of world statesmen and women. The two organizations also jointly sponsored educational projects in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Jordan. Armstrong International Cultural Foundation is a non-profit, humanitarian organization sponsored by

1014-726: A semester living and learning in Los Angeles through L.A. Term. APU students serve in Mexico through the Mexico Outreach Program, which continues a more-than-40-year relationship with churches, refugee shelters, prisons, and rehabilitation centers. Several opportunities exist throughout the year for students to serve the Mexicali community. APU also maintains a site in Ensenada–Rancho El Refugio–that

1092-569: A separation would result in the truth of God, as he believed it to be and taught it, being watered down at an Ambassador that would become increasingly secular. He held this opinion despite the fact that numerous accredited colleges and universities around the country were operated by the Catholic Church , The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and other Christian denominations without those organizations being required to alter church teachings. The final phase of Ambassador began in

1170-714: A year later in December 1995, ultimately leading to the closure of the campus in 1997. The campus now serves as the headquarters of the Institute in Basic Life Principles and several of its umbrella ministries, and was used to accommodate refugees from Hurricane Katrina in the fall of 2005. The campus golf course, renamed Embassy Hills Golf Course , is now open to the public. Ambassador College also sponsored archaeological excavations in Israel. Together with

1248-488: Is available throughout the year for students to stay at while conducting outreach in the area. The Center for Student Action sends more than 250 students, faculty, staff, and alumni around the world to partner with long-term and national workers. Programs include but are not limited to: educational development, orphan work, conversational English teaching, prayer ministry, mobile medical care clinics, and anti-human and anti-sex trafficking. The following are relief efforts that

1326-546: Is composed of a president, five executives, two commissioners, nine senators, and nine representatives. APU is a Yellow Ribbon University recognized by Military Friendly as a military-friendly college, and is an approved degree-granting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs . APU was also named as one of 130 "Best for Vets Colleges 2017" in the 4-year schools category by Military Times . The university provides an ROTC program which includes scholarships and tuition assistance. APU also offers

1404-760: The Ambassador Center at Azusa Pacific University for the continuation of classes for former Ambassador College students. In November 2000, then-Executive Vice President Jon R. Wallace, DBA, became president. In April 2018, Wallace announced his plan to retire and accepted his new role as president emeritus. In 2017, a new independent economic study found that APU generates $ 1.25 billion in economic impact within California each year. Of that, APU contributes $ 37 million in state taxes each year and supports 7,260 jobs statewide. The report also found approximately 47,500 APU alumni reside within California, increasing

1482-689: The Carnegie Foundation's 2010 Community Engagement Classification, is recognized for its commitment to community service and service-learning. Through APU's Center for Student Action, undergraduates perform more than 165,000 hours of service each year locally and globally. Local service is conducted by the City Links program, where students aid the city of Azusa and greater Los Angeles area. Services include assisting food banks and providing after school tutoring and mentoring. In addition to these weekly service opportunities, students can spend

1560-563: The Directors’ Cup from 2005 to 2012, with a total of 108 GSAC Championships and 36 NAIA National Championships. Since joining NCAA Division II, the program has added 31 PacWest Conference Championships and four GNAC championships in football. A past eight-time winner of the NAIA's Directors' Cup, APU finished 17th for the second consecutive year in the 2015–16 NCAA Division II Directors' Cup standings. A total of 14 APU athletes have competed in

1638-575: The Evangel Church denomination. The series of college mergers and campus re-locations which followed helped to solidify the school's identity as an Evangelical institution. The university has had a total of 18 presidents since its founding. Azusa Pacific University academic resources include the Writing Center, Accessibility Services, Testing Services, Tutoring Services, university libraries, Math Center, Academic Success Center, and

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1716-712: The Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference (PCSC) and its women's water polo team competes in the Golden Coast Conference (GCC). The Cougars previously competed in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1986–87 to 2011–12. On July 11, 2011 Azusa Pacific began the three-year transition process to becoming a member of

1794-491: The "business/commerce, general" category, and 55th for total minority master's degrees awarded across all disciplines. APU is recognized by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities as one of 104 Hispanic-Serving Institutions in California. The university has cited its Christian faith in its beliefs about human sexuality." The policy has been lifted and reinstated a number of times and has been

1872-681: The APU High Desert, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Murrieta locations. A unified catalog identifies the more than 240,000 books, media items, and 1,900 periodical titles in the libraries' print collections. More than 703,000 microforms include the Library of American Civilization, Library of American Literature, The New York Times , and Educational Resources Information Center collections. The university network also provides access to more than 140 online databases, which include more than 46,000 electronic journals. In

1950-736: The Ambassador Bible College at its Ohio headquarters. The program is not accredited. Garner Ted Armstrong , president of Ambassador from 1975 to 1978, established Imperial Academy in Tyler, Texas. However, student enrollment was quite small and the program is now defunct. Roderick C. Meredith established the online Living University in the fall of 2007. The university is based at the Living Church of God's headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The chief executive officer

2028-756: The Armenian Student Association, Asian Pacific American Student Organization, Black Student Association, Latin American Student Association, Indigenous Peoples Circle, and the Pacific Islander Organization. In addition, SCRD coordinates a Multi-Ethnic Leadership Scholarship Program. The Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Excellence hosts initiatives including staff and faculty diversity network luncheons, diversity ambassador training, and diversity workshops. The center also facilitates

2106-579: The Artist Certificate program offers a conservatory style experience to the School of Music's highest performing musicians. APU's Student Government Association (SGA) is composed of 28 students. The SGA has served APU since 1945 by meeting with offices on campus and conducting surveys that analyze the needs of the APU student body. The SGA's governing structure, listed from highest position to lowest,

2184-601: The Arts, Leung School of Accounting, University College, School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences, School of Business and Management, School of Education, School of Nursing, and School of Theology. APU is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission . Azusa Pacific University was established on March 3, 1899, in Whittier, California . Under the name Training School for Christian Workers , it

2262-463: The Auditorium was built. The college built two modern classroom buildings flanking Ambassador Hall, and the formal Italian sunken garden, with a plaza in the center, joined the three buildings and the garden into an academic center. Hulett Sr.'s former mansion was featured as the opening scene in the old TV show The Millionaire , looking upward from the tree-lined steps towards the hill with

2340-595: The Big Sandy campus, which was in the midst of a construction boom to accommodate the influx of new personnel and to support the regional accreditation efforts. Ambassador College at Big Sandy, Texas, began the process of applying for regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . Accreditation was granted in 1994. That same year the college underwent a name change to Ambassador University. This new period of transformation

2418-735: The Center for Student Action has worked toward mobilizing aid and volunteers: Ambassador College Ambassador College (1947–1997) was a four-year liberal arts college run by the Worldwide Church of God . The college was established in 1947 in Pasadena, California , by radio evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong , leader of what was then the Radio Church of God , later renamed the Worldwide Church of God. The college

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2496-586: The City of Pasadena's Architectural and Historical Survey of 1997. Mr. Merritt's mansion was at 99 Terrace Drive, bounded on the north by Olcott Place and on the west by South Orange Grove Avenue. After Hulett Sr.'s death in January 1956, the property was purchased by Herbert W. Armstrong from Hulett's four surviving grandchildren in October 1956, because it was adjacent to Ambassador College. Villa Merritt Ollivier

2574-400: The GSAC after the spring of 1989. Biola University joined the GSAC in the fall of 1994. Hope International University and San Diego Christian College joined the GSAC in the fall of 1999. The Master's University , joined the GSAC in the fall of 2001. Lewis–Clark State College of Lewiston, Idaho joined the GSAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's tennis in 2016. In recent years,

2652-530: The GSAC announced that it would undergo a rebrand to the Great Southwest Athletic Conference , to reflect its membership now including schools located outside of California . The GSAC currently has eight full members, all are private schools: The GSAC currently has one affiliate members, a private school: The GSAC had twelve former full members, all were private schools: The GSAC had three former affiliate members, one

2730-611: The GSAC has added Arizona Christian, Menlo and William Jessup (now known as Jessup). Life Pacific joined in 2017 and Ottawa (AZ) joined in 2018 to bring the GSAC to 10 members. The departures to the NCAA continued into the 2020s, with Westmont departing for the PacWest in 2023 and Jessup, Menlo, and Vanguard all following in 2024. To combat this, the GSAC added Benedictine–Mesa, Embry–Riddle at Prescott and Park–Gilbert, to bring membership back to 8 members. Immediately following these additions,

2808-576: The Graduate School of Theology, holds to a Wesleyan-Arminian doctrinal theology . APU offers more than 100 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs on campus, online, and at seven regional locations across Southern California. Azusa Pacific University is organized into three colleges and seven schools. The academics programs are available from the Honors College, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Music and

2886-788: The Graduate and Professional Registrar. Special programs include the Friends Center, Honors College, Sigma Theta Tau (Iota Sigma), and the Western Conservancy of Nursing History. The APU libraries include the William V. Marshburn Library (East Campus), the Hugh and Hazel Darling Library (West Campus), the Stamps Theological Library (West Campus), and off-campus libraries supporting academic programs at

2964-512: The Hall of Administration following suit in early 2016. The Bricket Wood campus operated for 14 years at Hanstead House , a few miles north of London. The estate had belonged to Annie Henrietta Yule and her daughter Gladys, who used it for their Arabian horse breeding farm , the Hanstead Stud . The college operated in the house and grounds for fourteen years. Leading administrators on

3042-624: The Hugh and Hazel Darling Library, located on APU's West Campus. The special collections consist of over 6,500 holdings ranging from presidential signatures to historical citrus crate labels. Azusa Pacific University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". APU conducts its research through eight university research centers: APU's Office of Institutional Research and Assessment provides resources, training, and consultations designed to help academic and student life departments successfully assess their educational effectiveness. The office also coordinates and facilitates

3120-516: The NCAA. Azusa Pacific University decided to end its football program in December 2020 due to financial restructuring. Azusa Pacific competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis and track & field; while women's sports include acrobatics and tumbling, basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo. Azusa Pacific Athletics achieved eight consecutive wins of

3198-695: The Olympics, including 2008 decathlon gold medalist Bryan Clay '03, and 50 other alumni have been drafted into other professional sports, including Christian Okoye '87, former Kansas City Chiefs fullback; Stephen Vogt '07, former MLB player and current Cleveland Guardians manager; Kirk Nieuwenhuis '08, Long Island Ducks outfielder; and Terrell Watson '15, San Diego Fleet running back. Several graduates have gone onto serve as leaders in higher education including J. David Carlson, Jeff Siemers, and Jacob Amundson. Azusa Pacific University's 2018-19 enrollment consisted of 10,095 students, of whom 5,021 are at

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3276-593: The Philadelphia Church of God and headquartered on the Herbert W. Armstrong College campus in Edmond, Oklahoma. The two-pronged concept behind all of the foundation's goals and activities is: 1) that man is a unique being, possessing vast mental, physical and spiritual potentials—the development of which should be aided and encouraged, and 2) that it is the responsibility of all men to attend to and care for

3354-531: The Texas campus open. The roller coaster of closings and openings was possible only because Ambassador was not regionally accredited. State approval to grant degrees (a requirement in most states, including California and Texas) is all that had been sought by the institution. However, the dynamics of higher education in the United States soon began to have an effect on independent, unaccredited colleges like Ambassador. For many years, regional accreditation

3432-435: The Worldwide Church of God, decided to merge all operations at one location and seek regional accreditation. The decision was made to separate the college from the church's base of operations in California and move all college operations to the Big Sandy, Texas, campus. The California college closed permanently in 1990. Students at the Pasadena campus and many faculty members who were pursuing advanced degrees were transferred to

3510-480: The academic program review process. APU's Honors College was launched in 2013, with David L. Weeks as dean. An Oxford-style , writing-intensive program, the Honors College grants graduates a second major or minor in Honors Humanities and an honors scholar diploma designation. The program content replaces all general education courses. The Honors College describes its purpose as "liberally educat[ing]

3588-610: The acquisition of the Hulett C. Merritt mansion , formerly belonging to an iron ore mining magnate, in the late 1950s. Hulett Merritt was the chairman of US Steel and made his millions on the Mesabi Iron Range in Minnesota. Hulett Merritt's estate "Villa Merritt Ollivier" in Pasadena was built on four acres for $ 1,100,000 during 1905–08. This area on South Orange Grove Avenue was referred to locally as "Millionaires' Row", per

3666-539: The campus included Ernest L. Martin , Roderick C. Meredith , Ronald L. Dart, and Raymond F. McNair. It closed in 1974, and was sold shortly thereafter to the Central Electricity Generating Board . It was used as a management training facility, first by CEGB and then HSBC, closing in 2011. It is currently being developed for housing. The history of the Big Sandy campus can be divided into seven periods: The Big Sandy campus opened in

3744-593: The campus landmarks is a rock considered to have been used by Herbert W. Armstrong as a "prayer rock" when he lived in Oregon. The campus' Armstrong Auditorium features two Baccarat candelabra purchased from Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena in 2004, and a bronze swan sculpture (Swans in Flight by Sir David Wynne) purchased from the Big Sandy campus in 2009. In 2015, a second HWAC campus was opened at Edstone, U.K., near Stratford-Upon-Avon. The United Church of God established

3822-470: The church and college owing to an unrelated scandal, and Herbert Armstrong, recovered from a heart attack, announced that Ambassador was closing its doors altogether. That stance was softened just as quickly, however, and the decision was made to continue operating Ambassador as a scaled-down academic institution more in line with a bible college . Beginning in August 1978, new incoming students were offered

3900-510: The church led to a rapid decline in the annual financial subsidy the church had historically provided to the university. In December 1996 the university's board of regents voted to close the institution once and for all. In May 1997, with the university having just concluded its 50th anniversary year, Ambassador closed its doors. However, the Ambassador College legacy lived on in the form of Grace Communion Seminary (an educational institution affiliated with Grace Communion International (GCI),

3978-425: The college changed its name to Azusa Pacific University. After Haggard's death, Paul E. Sago became president, serving until 1989. 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, became president in 1990, and initiated

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4056-419: The conference has seen changes with members leaving the GSAC and the NAIA for the NCAA . In 2011 Cal Baptist left the GSAC to join the Pacific West Conference followed by the announcement that Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific and Point Loma Nazarene joined Cal Baptist in the PacWest in 2012. Concordia then left to join the PacWest in 2015, and Biola applied to make the same move in 2017. To replace these schools,

4134-407: The decision was made to reopen in the fall of 1981. For a while, the Big Sandy campus included an organic farm, consistent with the college's emphasis upon personal health and bodily purity. When the campus reopened, it initially served as a two-year junior college, with students having the opportunity to apply to transfer to Pasadena after two years. In the fall of 1989, the campus returned to

4212-436: The evangelical tradition. Aside from being the identified sponsor of The World Tomorrow radio broadcast for a time (although the costs for the broadcast were paid by the church), the college in Pasadena became locally well known for its Ambassador Auditorium worship and concert venue , which for 20 years was host to many renowned artists from classical music to jazz . The concert series closed in 1995. The auditorium

4290-407: The fall of 1964. Since the early 1950s, the campus had been used as a location for the annual Feast of Tabernacles . The campus closed in the fall of 1977, with students and faculty transferred to the Pasadena campus. During the period from 1977 to 1981, the campus was used as a feast site and was used by the local congregation of the Worldwide Church of God. After several near sales of the property,

4368-412: The fall of 2009, Azusa Pacific University acquired a collection of antiquities, including five fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls and five first-edition prints of the King James Bible . These new acquisitions were displayed in an exhibit, Treasures of the Bible: The Dead Sea Scrolls and Beyond, in summer 2010. Special collections of Azusa Pacific University are housed in the Thomas F. Andrews Room of

4446-473: The heart of the city, a project Herbert W. Armstrong had started Several Ambassador graduates and former administrators have led efforts to replicate the school in other settings. When Ambassador closed in 1997, the Worldwide Church of God established the Ambassador Center at Azusa Pacific University . This later gave way to the online Ambassador College of Christian Ministry, which was headed by Ambassador's last president, Russell K. Duke. The graduate program

4524-406: The interim, the decision had been made by church leadership to pursue regional accreditation in California. However, in 1978 President Garner Ted Armstrong , son of college founder Herbert Armstrong, announced that everything would be moving back to the Texas campus, with the California facility becoming a graduate school. Within months, however, the younger Armstrong was ousted from all positions in

4602-439: The late 1970s and was characterized by constant uncertainty and indecision. The Ambassador campus at Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire, England, was closed in 1974, as operating funds were deemed necessary for other functions of the Worldwide Church of God. For similar reasons, the Texas campus was shuttered in 1977, and all students who wished to be were offered the opportunity to transfer to the original campus in Pasadena, California. In

4680-429: The mansion and towering palms above. The Pasadena 1997 Architectural Survey stated at Page 2.1–33: "The Hulett C. Merritt' House is significant as the residence of one of Pasadena's most celebrated millionaires and foremost residents of South Orange Grove Blvd." The college was designed to prepare youth for life and service in the church. In the earliest days of Ambassador, male students frequently graduated into

4758-418: The ministry of the church. By the 1970s, that occurred less often. As the church grew in membership in the 1960s and 1970s, a smaller and smaller proportion of applicants could be accepted, some applicants having to wait years for acceptance. The motto of the college was Recapturing True Values . Although most students of the college were associated with the church, it was not a strict requirement. Nonetheless,

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4836-425: The needs of their fellow men, a precept professed by the vast majority of religions of the world—appropriately summed up in three biblical words: “Love thy neighbor.” The foundation has sponsored several activities in Jerusalem. In 2006, the foundation began supplying volunteers and aid to Dr. Eilat Mazar's ground-breaking excavation of King David's palace in Jerusalem. It has also helped refurbish Liberty Bell Park in

4914-482: The next 36 years. Following mergers with three Southern California colleges, the university relocated in 1946 to the city of Azusa, where it resides today. In 1939 the Training School became Pacific Bible College , and four-year degrees were offered. In 1956, the name was changed to Azusa College . By 1965, Azusa College had become Azusa-Pacific College ( APC ), and three years later, APC merged with Arlington College. Upon its achievement of university status in 1981,

4992-415: The next generation of intellectually-gifted Christian leaders." Students study classic literature including works by Aristotle , Shakespeare , and C.S. Lewis , and are given publication and regional/national presentation opportunities. Azusa Pacific University's Azusa campus is situated in the San Gabriel Valley , located 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Los Angeles . The university also maintains

5070-567: The state's productivity and earning power. Of those, 10,600 APU alumni and 600 APU employees live in the San Gabriel Valley. In 2018, two university board members resigned from the university, citing concerns over financial mismanagement and "theological drift." As of 2018, the credit rating agency Moody's had downgraded its credit rating of APU's bonds to BA1, just above junk status. On April 10, 2019, APU named Paul W. Ferguson as its 17th president. He began his new role on June 3, 2019. A small group of Quakers (also known as Friends ) and

5148-424: The students and faculty were primarily those with church affiliation. Throughout most of its history, Ambassador operated under state approval or its international equivalent. Regional accreditation was not sought, primarily because it required that the college have a functioning board that was separate and distinct from the church's administration. Armstrong resisted this requirement, apparently concerned that such

5226-437: The target of student protests. As of 2022, University policy states that "God-given sexuality" is to take place in the context of a marriage covenant between a man and a woman. The Student Center for Reconciliation and Diversity administers scholarship programs and provides information on internship and scholarship opportunities offered by local community organizations. SCRD also advises campus ethnic organizations, including

5304-654: The undergraduate and 5,074 at the graduate and professional levels. As of 2018, 58 countries, 57 states (and US territories), and 56 Christian denominations are represented by the student population. Approximately 68% of students are female and 32% are male. In the 2018–2019 academic year, the freshman retention rate was 84%. The university's most popular programs are in following categories: APU features 20 music ensembles , 11 intramural sports , and about 40 clubs and organizations, including ethnic organizations, performing arts clubs, social clubs, service clubs, academic clubs, athletic clubs, and honors societies, as well as

5382-414: The university's first doctoral programs. He also introduced the university's "Four Cornerstones," Christ, Scholarship, Community, and Service, and oversaw the construction of seven new buildings, a doubling of student enrollment, and a quadrupling of graduate programs. When nearby institution, Ambassador College closed in 1997, the Worldwide Church of God and Azusa Pacific University jointly established

5460-446: Was a public school and two were private schools:  Full member (non-football)   Associate member (sport)  Azusa Pacific University Azusa Pacific University ( APU ) is a private evangelical research university in Azusa, California . The university was founded in 1899, with classes opening on March 3, 1900, in Whittier, California , and began offering degrees in 1939. The university's seminary,

5538-422: Was approved by the State of California to grant degrees . In 1960 a second campus was opened at Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire , England, and in 1964 a third campus was opened in Big Sandy, Texas . At the time Ambassador closed for financial reasons in May 1997, it had operated for 50 years and had become regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . The history of Ambassador College

5616-535: Was given then name Grace Communion Seminary. Russell Duke was the president until 2015; Gary W. Deddo was the president until December 2021. Michael Morrison is now the President. Former WCG minister Gerald Flurry established Imperial College in Edmond, Oklahoma, based a great deal on the Ambassador model. To avoid confusion with Imperial College of London, the school is now Herbert W. Armstrong College . One of

5694-582: Was largely unused for a decade until a portion of the Ambassador campus was sold to interdenominational Maranatha High School and a smaller portion, including the auditorium , to HRock Church . In September 2006, the Pasadena City Council approved the redevelopment of the remaining Ambassador campus space into the "Westgate Pasadena" complex, a large mixed-use development consisting of 820 condos and apartments as well as 22,000 square feet (2,000 m ) of commercial space. [1] In June 2008,

5772-564: Was not required for colleges to open in various states—only state approval was needed. By the late 1980s, however, many states began to require that a college, after having operated for a certain number of years, would have to either move from state approval to regional accreditation or be closed. Ambassador was at a crossroads, in that it had to seek regional accreditation or be reduced to a bible college offering diplomas rather than recognized degrees or else close its doors for good. The board of regents of Ambassador, still consisting of members of

5850-406: Was renamed "Ambassador Hall", and Ambassador College subsequently obtained permission to close Terrace Drive. Thereafter, the residence and street address for the former Villa Merritt Ollivier was renamed Ambassador Hall, 100 S. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena. This mansion, with a sunken Italian garden, a rosewood-paneled room, and a basement swimming pool, became the campus centerpiece until

5928-448: Was short-lived, however. For decades Ambassador did not have an endowment fund separate from the church. School officials had begun the process of establishing the first dedicated operating endowment in Ambassador's history, but there was not sufficient time to build the endowment. Doctrinal controversy within the Worldwide Church of God led to numerous splits and church spinoffs, and the resulting decrease in membership and contributions to

6006-463: Was the first Bible college on the West Coast. Led by president Mary A. Hill, the school initially had a total enrollment of 12 students. Early years saw the school relocate and change leadership several times. In 1939, Cornelius P. Haggard became the school's 13th president. In response to low enrollment and a lack of donations, Haggard launched a variety of fundraising efforts. Haggard served for

6084-733: Was tied to the development of the Radio/Worldwide Church of God. The name Radio Church of God was initially selected in the 1930s, because Herbert Armstrong started the church as a radio program in Eugene, Oregon . The ministry grew to include publishing, and congregations were formed, first in the United States and then gradually in other countries—hence, the eventual name change to "Worldwide Church of God." After Armstrong moved his operations to California, he founded Ambassador College in 1947. The college began acquiring lavish mansions on Orange Grove Blvd. in Pasadena, culminating in

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