An Evening of Excellence

The School of Nursing, Doctoral Programs chair, faculty, and your peers would like to recognize the service provided by our doctoral students. Azusa Pacific University has created a collaborative environment that empowers our community of scholars to volunteer their time, talent, and treasure beyond their own academic journey to earn a terminal degree.

As members of a Christ-centered community, you demonstrate your mission as nurses—and the university’s mission—serving God through service for others, mentoring, collaboration, and servant leadership. Graduating doctoral students are eligible for one to three service cords. The significance of color and number of braids is:

The Red Single Cord represents a focus derived from divinity and public health disciplines. The doctoral students awarded this cord participated in service to others while enrolled in APU’s Doctoral Programs. This might include involvement in volunteer activities that benefit the community inside and outside of APU (e.g., community health fairs, food pantry contribution, Randall Lewis Fellowship, service those experiencing homelessness, COVID or flu clinic volunteer, military service, and missions in the US or to other countries) .

The Double Red and Silver Braided Cord is awarded to students who pursue degrees in science with academic achievements. When joined with the red service cord, the silver color signifies mentorship and/or a collaborative effort between two or more individuals for a common goal or interest. This cord identifies the Christian value of peer mentorship within doctoral scholars; as well as bridges the advancement of research and practice through collaborative DNP/PhD work and projects. Recognition for the double braided cord is awarded to those for service as a DNP peer mentor, precepting or mentoring other students, DNP/PhD collaborative projects, or being an abstract reviewer or poster judge for the APU Research Forum or STTI Odyssey

The Triple Braided Red/Black/White Cord specifically represents the collective work realized by the Student Association Officers as a result of their service to their peers, program, and community. The white color represents purity, spirituality, and possibility, while black represents servant leadership and the business of the Student Association. Officers accepted the roles and responsibilities for the Association membership with care for others in mind, while simultaneously navigating their own scholarly work and academic programs.

All doctoral students are recognized for their contributions and these cords are to be worn during graduation and other award events.

We gratefully thank you for your service.