In the sun-drenched foothills of Southern California, just 26 miles east of Los Angeles, Azusa Pacific University (APU) has quietly but purposefully built one of the most distinctive Christian universities in the United States. Founded in 1899 as the Training School for Christian Workers with just 12 students, Azusa Pacific University degree, Get a Azusa Pacific University certificate online. APU has evolved over 125 years into a comprehensive R2 doctoral research university serving more than 6,000 students across main campus locations in Azusa, regional campuses throughout Southern California, and online .
APU occupies a unique position in American higher education. It is simultaneously an evangelical Christian community deeply committed to faith integration and a Carnegie-classified R2 research university—one of only two institutions within the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities to hold this prestigious designation . It is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), with 68% of its more than 7,000 students identifying as ethnically diverse . And it has achieved historic recognition as the top-ranked Christian university in California and the highest-ranked institution in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities according to the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges ranking .
This is not a university that has chosen between faith and scholarship, between access and excellence, or between local service and global impact. At Azusa Pacific, these commitments are woven together into a singular mission: preparing disciples and scholars to advance the work of God in the world through academic excellence in liberal arts and professional programs .
The university’s modern identity crystallized under the leadership of President Richard E. Felix, PhD, who took office in 1990. Felix played an instrumental role in initiating the university’s first doctoral programs. Perhaps most significantly, he reframed the university’s core values as the Four Cornerstones—Christ, Scholarship, Community, and Service—that continue to guide the institution today . Creative Ways to Buy a Azusa Pacific University degree online. Under his leadership, APU constructed seven new buildings, doubled student enrollment, and quadrupled graduate programs.
In April 2019, Paul W. Ferguson, PhD, was named APU’s 17th president. Ferguson, previously president of Ball State University and the University of Maine, guided APU through the development and implementation of a seven-year strategic plan, Renewal: Strengthening Our Capacity for Cultivating Christ-Centered Scholars and Leaders, and led the university through the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic .
In July 2022, APU welcomed its 18th president, Adam J. Morris, PhD—a nationally recognized senior administrator and lifelong advocate for Christian higher education . As the university commemorated its 125th anniversary in 2024, President Morris articulated the institution’s enduring commitment: “Azusa Pacific University is an institution that is Christ-centered, with a deep commitment to academic excellence, a global Great Commission mindset, and a passion to touch the lives of our beloved and diverse student body” .
