What is your name and major?

My name is Emily Wang and my major is Allied Health with a Business Emphasis.

Three words to describe yourself?

Three words I would use to describe myself are caring, sociable, and creative.

Plans in the future?

At the moment, I am still exploring career options in STEM. After graduation, I plan on taking a gap year to travel before I fully make a decision.

Most exciting time in APU?

I think the most exciting time was during Welcome Weekend as a freshman. I chose to attend APU just a few weeks before the semester started, so I didn't have the chance to fully adjust. However, my best friends was also starting at APU and it was incredibly exciting to experience the start of college together.

Advice for continuing students?

My main advice for students, especially STEM students, is to take time to rest. It might sound fairly obvious, but I find that many students forget to schedule a time to rest. Lectures, labs, homework, studying for exams... There's just always a constant list of things to do. Not to mention meals, events, extracurriculars, or even a part-time job! Doing all of that every day for weeks can be overwhelming. It's hard to avoid burnout in college, but taking time for yourself, resting, and getting support from others will help.

What is your name and major?

My name is Will Cook and I am majoring in Engineering with a concentration in Computer Engineering and double minoring in Computer Science and Mathematics.

Three words to describe yourself?

Three words to describe me are driven, inquisitive, and loyal.

Plans in the future?

I have accepted a full-time job offer as an IT Software Engineer at Palo Alto Networks! I am so excited to begin my career at the largest cybersecurity company in the world! Eventually, I would love to start a tech startup with several close friends of mine who are software and systems engineers, but we will have to see what life has in store.

Most exciting time in APU?

Senior year, spring semester, specifically my Senior Design Project 2 class. My two teammates were both close friends of mine (shoutout to Nathan Suiter and Karina Gray), and we achieved the goals we had set at the beginning of our senior year. We built a satellite ground station from the ground up and installed it on the roof of Segerstrom where it still is today, and we had tons of fun along the way!

Advice for continuing students?

College is about getting a degree, but it’s also about becoming an adult and finding who you are. Use this time to not only pursue your academics which will translate into your future career, but also invest time in yourself and those you are in proximity to. This is one of the only times in your life that you will have the flexibility to go on late night coffee runs or have deep conversations on a Thursday morning, so use those opportunities to the fullest.

What is your name and major?

My name is Matthew Anderson and I am a Physics major.

Three words to describe yourself?

Three words to describe me are curious (sometimes to a fault), tenacious (also sometimes to a fault), and logical (definitely to a fault).

Plans in the future?

I'm excited to begin working for my family's business! My dad bought an insulation business from his dad in 1979, and the company is constantly growing. I'm using what I learned in thermodynamics, general chemistry, and a few business classes to job-cost spray foam installations.

Most exciting time in APU?

I get excited when I learn new things and grow my personality, and that has been the case for me every time I have lead Orientation and Leadership Training Day with the National Society of Leadership and Success. I have been president of the APU chapter for the past two and a half years, and I'm so grateful to be leaving the chapter in the hands of a few very capable and accomplished leaders.

Advice for continuing students?

I IMPLORE every student at APU to join a club, organization, or group on campus. Especially as we transition away from COVID restrictions, it is crucial that students take advantage of opportunities to share their leadership with others. That is only possible from within a group of supportive peers. Join Bel Canto or Men's Chorale, or join a department club like Enactus, or become a D-Group leader! It can be anything, but it must be something. Think of the scripture from the Gospel according to Matthew: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (18.19-20). Growth toward happiness and self-actualization happens when people are surrounded by others who can offer support, accountability, and reflection.

What is your name and major?

My name is Samantha Vargas and I am a Biology major.

Three words to describe yourself?

Three words to describe me are creative, loving and resilient.

Plans in the future?

After graduation, I plan to apply to Master's programs specifically in Oral Health, Developmental Biology, or Pathology. I then plan on applying to dental schools. My ultimate goal is to become a general or pediatric dentist.

Most exciting time in APU?

There are quite a few, however, one has to be the time I spent being part of the Kaleo SALT team. I have been involved since 2019 so any of those moments have been truly exciting. I loved meeting many new people with different majors from my own and working with them to interpret God's word and set up the foundation of the Kaleo chapel for the coming semester. During my time on the team, I built close relationships with many people who helped me in my faith journey and in life overall. I'll always hold each conversation close to my heart, whether it was a long, deep conversation or a short but extremely funny one. There are many past members that I am still in contact with even as they have graduated from APU.

Of course, my time doing research with my partner Anna and Dr. Sossa is always enjoyable. At first, it was somewhat scary working with our model organisms but I got used to them pretty quickly and I now think they're kind of cute. Dr. Sossa was super supportive of our ideas which made research exciting. He also challenged us to answer questions by turning to literature and coming up with new experimental designs. It was great to learn and apply a lot of new techniques that I didn't have the chance to do before, due to COVID/online learning. Additionally, any time we presented our research was a bit nerve-wracking but extremely valuable in building my communication and articulation skills. We recently traveled to Malibu for a research conference where I had a great time learning about other young people's research and a lot of them were genuinely interested in ours. After the conference, our group went down to the beach and I had a great time walking around and getting to know each of them more. My time spent in research has helped me fall in love with science again.

Lastly, I would have to say that some of my most memorable moments at APU are times I spent with friends, in between classes. I try to always eat or relax for a little bit with someone else. I think being in community with each other is so important and what God wants for us. Being at home during online learning was pretty lonely so when I came back to school it was crucial for me to build up old and new relationships with people. I have loved every moment I got to spend with my friends whether we were having meaningful conversations or just cracking up over the smallest things. I always enjoy making my friends laugh and being there for them.

Advice for continuing students?

My biggest piece of advice is to ask for help when you need it, whether it's from friends, family, or professors. There are many great resources at school that we should make use of. If I could go back and tell myself to look for help earlier then I totally would because I know it would've changed a lot in terms or my mental health and acedemics. I also would encourage students to get involved where they can. It's always a great opportunity to meet new people and create new experiences. Most importantly I would remind students to put God first. I know school can be very hectic and time consuming, especially with demanding majors. However, there are many ways that we can implement God and our faith in everything we do. Worshiping God isn't limited to a church space, we are able to praise God in our academics and our relationships with one another. Having a Christ-centered mind changes our perspective in life and the way treat others. It is always important to remember that He has blessed all with a unique gift, plan, and purpose that we can use to serve Him and others. He always has our best interest in mind and will never let us down.

Mattew 6:33 "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."