Afia, a closet chef, dark chocolate fanatic, passionate hater of the color red, and fan of the type-font Garamonde (“it’s like Times New Roman’s skinny cousin”), is also this year’s new Honors Program Coordinator!
To let us all get to know her better, she sat down and answered a few questions about herself.
Where are you from and what school did you go to?
Okay, so where I am from is such a hard question for me to answer, but I’ll try my best. I was born and raised in Berrien Springs, Michigan, but we later moved to New Jersey and so I am kind of from both places. And then I went to Andrew’s University. I went to Adventist schools through middle school and then I went to public high school before attending Andrews University.
What was your college major?
I majored Political Science and Music, so two completely different majors. I was also in the Honors Program at Andrews. The 101 class here reminds me of one of the classes I took as a Freshman.
What would you say was the most formative part of your college experience?
Experience wise, the friendships were really formative, mostly because I had a group of friends that I thought were my core group my freshman year and by the end of my senior year we weren’t friends anymore. So just navigating that, made me who I am and helped me learn how to work with people and stuff like that.
Have you done any traveling?
Yeah! So before I went college, I visited to south Africa with my family. And of course I’ve been to Canada, but does Canada count? It’s like right here. But the biggest one was in college when I went to Madagascar. I went three times, which I know is w
eird. But it wasn’t a Student Missionary year or anything, it was just part of my degree.
Like I said, I did Political Science and Music, but I also minored in Community and International Development. And so as part of my education, the school took us to Madagascar for some hands on work. I’ve been there around 3 months in total. It’s not a place people usually think to visit, but its a real place, with real people. It’s the 4th largest island in the world. I’d say that’s my favorite place I’ve visited. But I’ve also been to France with Adventist Colleges abroad, as well as England and a few other European countries. I’ve been to Ghana. And those were all independent travels.
What has your career looked like since you graduated college?
Hmmm. Yeah so I am actually not sure how to respond to that. I only graduated in 2015, and I went straight to grad school. So because I cared about humanitarian work, international development, and all that jazz, thats what I am currently working on my masters in. And I’ve been kind of dragging grad school out since then, so I guess I have
n’t really had much of a career. I’ve just been doing student work.
But I really always cared about children and working with young people, and so I also was a substitute teacher for 3 years, and I really liked that. So my career has just been about young people. I’ve been working with elementary school, middle school, sometimes high school but I usually stick with the younger kids, and now I guess La Sierra is kind of the next step because now I am working with college kids.
What do you hope to do with your masters?
Well when I first started I wanted to work with the World Bank or some other international organization that does humanitarian work, like ADRA. But now I am not really sure what I am going to do with it. I don’t think I see myself doing that kind of thing now, but I don’t know maybe one day God will open a door and show me what to do. Right now I am focused on just finishing the degree.
How did you find yourself at La Sierra?
So, diving really deep. I had a break up and was feeling really bad. And I had always wanted to move to California. So literally on a whim I was looking up j
obs just anywhere in Cali (and thats such a broad thing to do but I was sure I was leaving) and my sister decided she was going to La Sierra. She’s 18 – she’s here now by the way – and she was scared to be coming out here alone. And so I was looking for jobs just in or near Riverside when I came across this job actually at the University. So I applied and interviewed over Skype, and I got the job!
What has your experience with the Honors Program been like so far?
So far, it’s been great! I have really enjoyed working with Dr Howe
. He has been a great supervisor and I appreciate him believing in me. Also I have had a good experience getting to know the freshman in class and the student workers in the office.
It’s only been a month and a few days, but the candy at my desk really helps! People come in for a snack and I get to talk to them. Also, there is now coffee in the office! Everyone should know there’s coffee here! So come by!
So what’s a fun fact that you’d like us to know about you? 
Okay, I have 2 fun facts: One, I love singing. I’m pretty sure some people know that about me already. I have a music degree and voice was my instrument.
So singing is my life; I have always wanted to be Beyonce.
Second, I am a huge make-up junkie. And I actually ha a YouTube channel where I post tutorials! The name of the channel is Avrolynne. I made up the name in like sixth grade and I’ve always had the channel but I started posting videos like six years ago. I kept the name because I figured I would keep it separate from my actual name so I can have this secret life. I guess the secret is out.
Finally, do you have any Christmas traditions?
Yeah I guess so! I go to sleep pretty late because I am my parents elf. I have two little sisters, so I stay up late and help my parents wrap their presents. And then we all sit around the living room in the morning and open them together. Youngest to oldest.
If you haven’t yet, come say hi to Afia in the Honors Office!