Graduating in faith

Part I: A higher grounding

Part II: Answer to a prayer

Last of three parts

AZUSA, Calif. — The predawn skies are a deep black-blue when Jon Wallace begins his twice-weekly climbs into the San Gabriel mountains.

Mr. Wallace, president of Azusa Pacific University, heads through tall grass up the Garcia Trail 26 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Joined at 6 a.m. by six faculty members and students, he trudges for a mile through mounds of mustard, sage, yucca, purple lupus and orange monkey flowers.

Along the way he comments on everything from theology to trail lizards.

As the sun rises, the sweaty group gathers for a short prayer at a spot overlooking 30 cities and towns containing a total of 1.5 million people and spread over 400 square miles in the glittering San Gabriel Valley.

By 7:15 a.m., Mr. Wallace is back at home, cuddling Cola, his black and brown springer spaniel. The holder of three business degrees, he is mulling over how he must raise $80 million in eight years for Azusa Pacific’s endowment, and bring in an additional $20 million for new buildings.

In the past 10 years, his school has doubled its square footage, budget and enrollment.

“We credentialed 1,200 teachers last year,” Mr. Wallace says of some of his graduates. “The need for educators in the state of California is huge.”

Azusa Pacific has had to adapt to California’s highly diverse populace. Of 3,423 full-time undergraduates, 19 percent are ethnic minorities or international students. Throw in part-timers — many Hispanic women enrolled in adult education — and the percentage shoots up a few points.

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