Senior Features 2017
What is your name and major?
My name is Amy Gibbons and I am an Allied health major BS route.
Three words to describe yourself?
Hardworking, Charismatic, Lighthearted
Plans in the future?
My plan is to take the GRE and apply to PA school.
Most exciting time in APU?
Two of my classmates and I were studying late one night in our science building for a Microbiology test. We hadn’t eaten in a while so we decided to get pizza. Our professor for our microbiology course was in his office late working also. We asked if he wanted any to join us and he was more than excited to pitch in. When the pizza arrived we took a little study break and ate with our professor. No other school is like this one. How often would a professor at a big university take the time to sit with 3 of their students for a late night meal when they have just as much work to do as us. It may seem like a small experience, but it is one that has stuck with me to this day.
Advice for incoming freshmen?
My advice is to go to professors office hours, or even just stop by to say hi. They are your best resources and having a relationship with the professors in the science department has honestly helped me make it through these tough years. They are great emotional and academic support. You’ll find the people in these departments are very delightful and quite humorous!(pun intended)
What is your name and major?
My name is Zach Clark and by major is Computer Science.
Three words to describe yourself?
Disciplined, Creative, Encouraging
Plans in the future?
I plan on working as a software developer in Santa Monica and then going back to graduate school after some industry experience.
Most exciting time in APU?
Senior software project was a great, challenging experience. It was incredible to build something from the ground up with a team of friends. Seeing the end result made all of the late nights and hard work worth our effort.
Advice for incoming freshmen?
Take advantage of as many APU programs as you can! Each year becomes busier, so don’t wait to do something fun. Also, apply for local internships because they will give you great work experience.
What is your name and major?
My name is Hayley Ann Patterson and my major is a Bachelors of Science in Allied Health.
Three words to describe yourself?
Three words to describe me would be: joyful, athletic and loyal
Plans in the future?
My plans for the future are to attend dental school and become a doctor of dental surgery with the hopes of eventually owning my own practice and partnering with a non-profit Christian organization to provide free dental care to third-world countries.
Most exciting time in APU?
The most exciting experience in my time here at APU would be this year, when my teammates and I beat the Point Loma women's soccer team at their home field. This was the first time since 2009 that the APU women's soccer program had done that, so it was very exciting as we are huge rivals with Point Loma.
Advice for incoming freshmen?
My advice to incoming freshmen would be to utilize your resources as much as possible. The biology and chemistry departments have such amazing professors who truly care about your well-being and desire to get to know you personally. I have had some of the best conversations with my professors about life and many of them pray for my family and myself on a daily basis. I would also advise them to follow their dreams and aspirations in the medical field, regardless of the difficulty, if they truly believe that is what God is calling them into. If you have faith and trust in God and His plan for your life, He will get you where you desire to be, you just need to believe in that!
What is your name and major?
Stephanie Kraybil
Three words to describe yourself?
Open-minded, adventurous, easy-going
Plans in the future?
Applying to PA school in the next round of applications, will be working as a Medical Assistant and volunteering until then.
Most exciting time in APU?
I think that every year brings something new and really exciting, but what has stood out to me the most was getting involved with action teams and visiting Kolkata, India. Serving and engaging in global conversations is one of the most challenging, yet beneficial things you can do to open your heart. Additionally, I love traveling, so being able to go to a new country was really exciting. I also learned a lot about team work and community by going with a group of APU students.
Advice for incoming freshmen?
Don't compare yourself to others, and don't be afraid of failure. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and you just need to focus and discovering yours. Once you do, you can love yourself for who you are, and then you can reflect that love onto everyone else.
What is your name and major?
My name is Marta Assefa and my major is Biology
Three words to describe yourself?
Responsible, Committed, and Sociable
Plans in the future?
I intend to enter the entry level master's program in nursing at APU.
Most exciting time in APU?
I enjoy my interactions with professors and peers. I love learning about the people around me and having discussions on academic subjects and faith.
Advice for incoming freshmen?
Although it seems a long way until graduation, I hope that you would cherish each moment you spend at APU as a student. I would suggest that you make the most of your time here at APU and learn as much as you can about your faith and a variety of academic subjects before graduation.
What is your name and major?
My name is Jennifer Grasso, most people call me Jenn of Jenny. My major is Allied Health (BA).
Three words to describe yourself?
The three words I would use to describe myself are caring, hardworking, and determined.
Plans in the future?
I recently applied for Doctor of Physical Therapy schools and I am waiting to hear back. I hope to attend Doctor of Physical in 2018, graduate and starting helping patients.
Most exciting time in APU?
The most exciting time at APU was meeting some of my best friends in microbiology. I met fellow students in the biology and chemistry department that I would stay up late studying with and slowly we all became really great friends. Since microbiology, we have supported each other through all of the increasingly difficult classes. I have the privilege of graduating with some of these great people, whom will be my lifelong friends.
Advice for incoming freshmen?
My advice for incoming freshmen would be to not be afraid to visit your professors in office hours. If you are struggling, need clarification, or just want to talk they are always open to having you. When you go to their office hours you will get the help and clarification you need along with getting to know your professor on a deeper level. Another piece of advice I would give is to work hard, and when you think you are working hard, work even harder. It is such a cliché, but it is true that “nothing worth having comes easy.” You are not only working hard to succeed, but to be the best professional you possibly can be to your future patients.
What is your name and major?
Christopher Cain, Mathematics and Physics double degree.
Three words to describe yourself?
Three words that I believe accurately capture my educational journey are: willing, invested, and interested.
Plans in the future?
Over the next month and a half, I will be applying to six graduate astrophysics graduate programs. I plan to pursue my Ph.D. in astrophysics at one of these universities, and a post-doctoral program afterwords. I eventually hope to research and possibly teaching at either a university or a national laboratory.
Most exciting time in APU?
The summer after my sophomore year, I did research with Dr. Andre Harmse and Dr. Sharon McCathern, two of the math professors here, along with a fellow student. Towards the end of the summer, I was able to solve a problem that was half of our main research question. Being able to solve that problem was extremely exciting for me, but I also experienced the deeper excitement of discovering that I was capable of actually doing original work using the things I had learned. That experience not only increased my love for research, but also deepened my appreciation of how my education had shaped me over the previous two years.
Advice for incoming freshmen?
Do your homework, and don't procrastinate. My experience throughout my time here has been that there is no substitute for working through problems and/or ideas on your own. Procrastination does nothing but cause stress and hamper learning, and it doesn't save a bit of time in the end. I find that my best learning occurs when I do assignments as soon as they are assigned, because it gives me plenty of time to think through everything and thoroughly absorb the material. Also, study what interests you. Otherwise, you will never be able to stick with it when things start to get difficult, as they definitely will. But, if you enjoy what you are studying, the difficulty will absolutely be worth the payoff.