In first address, President Arthur offers students safe harbor to seek God’s plans

Students file into chapel for the start-of-school convocation at the La Sierra University Church.

Left to right, Robert Thomas, interim dean, College of Arts & Sciences; Chang-ho Ji, dean, School of Education; Friedbert Ninow, dean, H.M.S. Richards Divinity School; John Thomas, dean, Zapara School of Business, reading scripture in their native languages.

Music student Tashyanna Simpson gives a vocal performance of Kirk Franklin's "My Life is in Your Hands."

La Sierra University President Christon Arthur delivers his inaugural convocation address, "There is a Place for You in God's Hands."

Christon Arthur and his wife, Carmelita Arthur enjoy the university lunch following convocation.

Staff, faculty and students congregate on Founders' Green following convocation to enjoy a festive lunch hosted by the president's office.

The formal service included faculty and staff processing in regalia, instrumental performances led by Director of Wind & Percussion Studies Giovanni Santos, rousing organ accompaniment by former music professor Kimo Smith, a welcome by La Sierra University Provost April Summitt as well as Iki Taimi, university church lead pastor, and student association president Nyla Provost. The four deans of the university's college and schools gave a scripture reading in the languages of their homelands and music student Tashyanna Simpson performed Kirk Franklin's "My Life is in Your Hands," a message that segued with the focus of Arthur's address.

"Opening convocation is a part of La Sierra University's story," Summitt said in her opening remarks. "We gather because we recognize that we are community, a community that exists to seek truth, to know God and to serve others. A community that would not exist if it were not for you, our students who come every year to join us on a journey of learning and faith." She also explained the historical symbolism of the academic regalia and its importance during the early ages of higher education.

"I want you to know without a doubt God has plans for you." -- Dr. Christon Arthur, President, La Sierra University

Arthur's presentation, the convocation centerpiece, was titled "There is a Place for You in God's Hands." It was anchored in the biblical text Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

"I want you to know without a doubt God has plans for you," Arthur began. "But there are times when God has to redirect or "re-tool," he said, due to an individual's choices or the actions of others.

Arthur recounted the story of nine Black students who enrolled at Little Rock Central High School in 1957 following the landmark Brown v. The Board of Education decision three years earlier by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional. However when the nine students attempted to attend school in Little Rock, they were confronted by angry mobs and blocked by the state's National Guard. On Sept. 24, 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower called on armed federal troops to intervene and ensure the students' entrance into their classrooms by flanking them as they walked into the school entrance.

"They simply wanted to attend school. They showed up and when they arrived, there were some folks who said 'this is not your school, this is not your place, this is not part of the plan we have for you,'" Arthur said. "My dear students of La Sierra University, much has changed and yet things still remain the same. There are some who might say, 'not here, this place is not for you," he said. "I will remind those persons that the healing ministry of Christ is at work and every student has a right to be in an environment where they can experience the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. La Sierra students this morning, I want you to know [that] your faculty and staff, as you traverse this university, we have flanked you, we have you."

To illustrate his point, Arthur described the exquisite beaches of his island homeland of Grenada and the barrier reef that provides a safe place to swim, protected from the turbulence of the deeper ocean and currents. "The reef creates this beautiful barrier so you can have the serenity and safety and a beautiful place to swim, congregate, fellowship. At La Sierra University your administration, your faculty, your employees are like the barrier reef … we have you."

He went on to quote author, Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel saying, "'Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.' Sometimes we must interfere in the lives of the endangered, because when human dignity is in jeopardy we should show up and say 'I'm going to flank you, I've got you, I'm protecting you. Walk with me as I walk with you to ensure that the plans that you have for your life can be realized.'"

He continued quoting Wiesel saying, 'whenever men and women are persecuted because of their race, their religion, their political views,' … may I add to this quote, whenever we are persecuted because of sexual orientation, because of sexual identity, that place in that moment must become the center of the universe. We must show up and say, 'I've got you.'"

"Every student has a right to be in an environment where they can experience the healing ministry of Jesus Christ." -- Dr. Christon Arthur, President, La Sierra University

Arthur continued, "Students, maybe you come from a home that you can't appreciate, may you come from a neighborhood that you think 'that's not where I want to live for the rest of my life'; maybe you're part of a religion that you think 'if only they would embrace me for who I am.' I say to you this morning, God has plans for you. God's plan sometimes is not to take you out of a difficult situation. God's plan is to say, 'I'm going to be there with you in that difficult situation, persevere. At the end of your perseverance there will be joy."

He said to students, noting in particular freshman students, ""University is hard. Stick with it. You know on your right side, on your left side, we're going to walk with you through those difficult academic journeys. … As you journey through the campus of this university, remember that the best growth comes by persevering through the hard times."

He recalled the experience of La Sierra University Art+Design student Kateryna (Katie) Vechkanova, an international student from Ukraine who faced significant financial hurdles in transferring to and attending an Adventist academy in the U.S. and eventually La Sierra University. She was confronted with the anxiety of watching her homeland torn apart by a military invasion in 2022 which affected her friends and family members. Weeks after the conflict began, Katie traveled to a southern border crossing with Mexico to meet a longtime friend who had traveled through several countries with others from Ukraine to escape the conflict.

"God's plans are hard. [Katie] came to La Sierra University. She's sticking with it. Katie said to me, 'it dawned on me that if I want my life to flourish, I should probably help other persons,'" Arthur said. "If you want success to be a part of your life, help someone else to succeed. We have ourselves wrapped around you. You're capable. Success is yours. Stick with it."

Convocation was followed by a lunch hosted by the president's office on Founders' Green for students and employees to enjoy conversation and camaraderie.

September's academic convocation also heralded the launch of a year of special events leading to Arthur's inauguration on May 20, 2025. The inauguration-year events, organized under the theme 'There is a place for you,' offer opportunities for the university's stakeholders to become acquainted with Arthur and his vision for the future, for the university to increase engagement within the local Inland Empire community, and for the raising of funds for student scholarships.