Editing Azusa Pacific University (section)

==History==
{| class="floatright" style="margin-left:0.5em; padding:0.2em; border: 1px solid #a2a9b1;"
|+ History
|-
| style="width:150pt;"|Training School for Christian Workers||'''Established'''||1899
|-
| style="width:150pt;"|Pacific Bible College||'''Renamed'''||1939
|-
| style="width:150pt;"|Azusa College||'''Renamed'''||1956
|-
| style="width:150pt;"|Azusa Pacific College and<br />[[Arlington College (California)|Arlington College]]||'''Merged'''||1968
|-
| style="width:150pt;"|Azusa Pacific University||'''Renamed'''||1981
|}Azusa Pacific University was established on March 3, 1899, in [[Whittier, California]].<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|url=http://www.apu.edu/researchandgrants/pdfs/archive/2008/september_2008.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=February 15, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031032551/http://www.apu.edu/researchandgrants/pdfs/archive/2008/september_2008.pdf |archive-date=October 31, 2014 }}</ref> Under the name '''Training School for Christian Workers''', it 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.<ref name="http://www.apu.edu/about/history">{{Cite web|url=https://www.apu.edu/about/history/|title=About APU: Our History|website=www.apu.edu}}</ref>

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 the next 36 years.<ref name="http://www.apu.edu/about/history" />

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.<ref name="http://www.apu.edu/about/history" /> Upon its achievement of university status in 1981, the college changed its name to Azusa Pacific University.<ref name="http://www.apu.edu/about/history" />

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.<ref name="http://www.apu.edu/about/history" />

Richard E. Felix, became president in 1990, and initiated 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.<ref name="http://www.apu.edu/about/history" />

When nearby institution, [[Ambassador College]] closed in 1997, the [[Grace Communion International|Worldwide Church of God]] and Azusa Pacific University jointly established 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apu.edu/president/about/|title=About the President|publisher=Azusa Pacific University}}</ref> In April 2018, Wallace announced his plan to retire and accepted his new role as president emeritus.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sgvtribune.com/azusa-pacific-university-announces-new-president|title=Azusa Pacific University announces new president|date=2019-04-11|website=San Gabriel Valley Tribune|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-13}}</ref>

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 the state's productivity and earning power. Of those, 10,600 APU alumni and 600 APU employees live in the San Gabriel Valley.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Azusa Pacific Economic Impact - About APU - Azusa Pacific University|url=https://www.apu.edu/about/economic-impact/|access-date=2019-06-13|website=www.apu.edu|language=en}}</ref>

In 2018, two university board members resigned from the university, citing concerns over financial mismanagement and "theological drift."<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 December 2018|title=Former Azusa Pacific University board members blame administrators for financial mismanagement, 'theological drift'|url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2018/12/14/former-azusa-pacific-university-board-members-blame-administrators-for-financial-mismanagement-theological-drift/}}</ref> As of 2018, the [[credit rating agency]] [[Moody's]] had downgraded its credit rating of APU's bonds to BA1, just above junk status.<ref>{{Cite web|date=17 September 2018|title=Moody's downgrades Azusa Pacific University (CA) to Ba1; rating under review for downgrade|url=https://www.moodys.com/research/Moodys-downgrades-Azusa-Pacific-University-CA-to-Ba1-rating-under--PR_905527496}}</ref>

On April 10, 2019, APU named Paul W. Ferguson as its 17th president. He began his new role on June 3, 2019.<ref name=":8" />

=== Religious affiliations ===
A small group of [[Quakerism|Quakers]] (also known as [[Conservative Friends|Friends]]) and a [[Methodism|Methodist]] evangelist laid the foundation for the Training School for Christian Workers in 1899.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

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 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.<ref name="http://www.apu.edu/about/history"/>

===Presidents===
The university has had a total of 18 presidents since its founding.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.apu.edu/president/about/formerpresidents/|title=Former APU Presidents - Office of the President - Azusa Pacific University|website=www.apu.edu|language=en|access-date=2019-06-13}}</ref>