Written by Mystiana Victorino The Point Magazine emerged in 2006 when Tamara Welter, a journalism professor, had a dream to create a student-produced campus publication. Public relations professor Carolyn Kim, then sophomore Carolyn Wallace, served as the first editor in chief. “The vision was to provide a magazine that could do justice to sensitive issues, pop the Biola bubble and give a human face to its subjects,” said Kim, who still recalls pitching the idea to the school provost. The Point has enjoyed eight years of publication, yielding 18 issues that have tackled controversies and unearthed some bizarre nuggets of information. These 11 stories from our archives provide an apt…

Written by Kristina Nishi With a legacy of 106 years, Biola University has undergone many changes that have become a part of its history. These include its move from Sixth and Hope in Downtown Los Angeles to the quiet suburb of La Mirada in 1959, the influence of eight different university presidents, and the commissioning of the iconic “Jesus Saves” sign in 1935. Throughout the years, many Biola traditions have come and gone. Curious about some of the events you missed out on? Let’s throw it back to Biola’s black-and-white photo days. 1. Donkey basketball: An Associated Students event in which the senior administration, student government officers, and athletes competed.…

Written by Augusta McDonnell “If there’s anything that has reinforced my love for God beyond the Bible, it’s the skillful, calculated, scientific way of observing creation my dad opened to me,” explains Lloyd Peckham, linguistics professor at Biola University. “Dad showed me my first sunrise; he showed me the colors changing as the sun came up.” Peckham’s dad, Robert, was a high school science teacher. His family had a hobby of mineral collecting. They would go out to mines and other places with friends to observe the chemical molecular orderliness of minerals that display God’s beauty. When Peckham was 14, his dad obtained a year-long sabbatical tasked with going to…

Written by Brittany Cervantes The music echoes throughout the room, resounding in your soul as the band plays their instruments and everyone around you joins in, singing. Suddenly, your foot begins to tap to the beat of the music and you lift your hands up, praising the Lord. This experience, known as the long-standing tradition, Singspiration, has become a typical Sunday night for many students. This beloved hour of worship was given the name Singspiration to reflect its ultimate purpose — to inspire students to worship God. With a legacy that extends back decades, each Singspiration chapel still brings the Biola community together as one body, praising the name of…

Photography by Meagan Garton Written by Tayllor Lemphers In theory, every muscle in my body should have been screaming in agony. In theory, every shallow breath should have wracked my lungs. In theory, my legs should have felt like dead weights, resisting my knee-drive forward, and my arms should have felt like lead as I pumped them faster. However, theory failed to apply as I pushed my body forward into the final corner of the track at Azusa Pacific University. As I propelled myself into the last 100 meters of the 400m final of the 2012 GSAC Championships, my body was anything but heavy, my breath anything but ragged, my…

Photography by Paige Bocianski Written by Grace Kim It is the first week of school. During this fast-paced, exhilarating time, we find ourselves asking our fellow new students the same three introductory questions: What is your name? What is your major? And, where do you dorm? Students who live on campus eagerly answer these questions without hesitation, whereas commuters may pause before answering the last question. “I do not live on campus; I am a commuter,” they may respond. “Oh,” is all the residential student usually responds with. This answer has become so typical that Katie Tuttle, Director of Commuter Life at Biola University, has coined this interaction with the…

Written by Deborah Kwak “God knew what He was cooking,” says Dr. John McKinley, professor of biblical and theological studies at Biola. Ever since he was a teenager, McKinley had been on the road to becoming a professional cyclist. His identity, dreams and ambitions were wrapped around the world of competitive cycling for years, but the trajectory of his life began to change. From the ages of 19-21, McKinley learned what it meant to be a Christian. Right out of college he became a high school history teacher, and then decided to serve in Campus Crusade for Christ for two years. While contemplating what the “Christian ideal” actually meant, he…

Photography by Christina Bryson Written by Sarah Huffman Students often take full use of their bodies for granted. Instead of complaining about having only fifteen minutes to stop at the food truck for lunch between classes, Victoria Nuñez, a freshman biology major who suffers from cerebral palsy, has to plan how she’ll get to class on time carrying a backpack full of textbooks and using her walker. Cerebral palsy, a group of motor conditions that causes physical disabilities in development, particularly in body movement, has been a constant struggle for Nuñez. But instead of complaining, she has begun to look toward God. She says she was able to seek God so…

Photography by Emily Cariaga Written by Heather Pape Brenda Velasco had known since age seven that she wanted to be a corporate attorney. She had a plan to achieve her dream job by 25, get married at 27 and have kids at 32. Instead, Velasco graduated from Biola in 1999 and went on to work in communications and marketing at a real estate agency in Whittier, and after some twists and turns, she ended up in the position of assistant director with Biola’s University Communications and Marketing. This is not at all what she had planned Some students embark on a different career path because of the decisions they make,…

Written by Heather Pape 1. Intern– This is one of the most important things you can do because it provides job experience before you graduate. It can also help you meet people who can help you get a job later. Take advantage of these while you are still in school since most internships are only offered if you are receiving college credit. 2. Network– Meet people every time you get the opportunity. You never know who might have the “in” you are looking for. Collect business cards, pay attention to the people in your major, and communicate with your department and see if any alumni have contacted them with job…

Written by Alyssa Alvarez Print the pdf version Graduate! Take a class from Dr. Thoennes or Dr. Jung Have a DTR on the Talbot East rooftop garden Watch the Disneyland fireworks from the roof of the parking structure Live on both upper and lower campus Change roommates at least twice Donate a meal to Brown Bag Volunteer for a campus ministry that is outside your comfort zone Feed the Biola ducks Donate to your senior class gift Pre-order your textbooks at the bookstore Try a new machine at the Fitness Center Nurture a dorm-approved pet (hint: it’s a fish) Participate in your floor retreat Volunteer for Mission’s Conference staff Attend…

Written by Rebecca Nakashima Mark McReynolds had a problem. He was thirsty. So thirsty that he gratefully chugged a can of Coca-Cola, even though he does not normally care for soda. But this was not his only problem. McReynolds was also being interviewed for a faculty position in Bardwell Hall, Biola University’s science building. And this is when McReynolds’ empty soda can led him to the ironic discovery of the problem: There were no recycle bins in Bardwell, the very building that would eventually give birth to the environmental science program he was being interviewed to start. Biola Creates Stewardship Committee The fall 2012 semester marks nearly 2 1/2 years…