Meet Your Counselor
The best way for you to jump-start your college search process is to contact one of our counselors. They are eager to get to know you to help you find out if Hope is the school for you. Please email us, call us at (866) PCC-HOPE or (866) 722-4673, and visit for a campus tour!
Counselor Since: 2002
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Degree(s): B.G.S. with a minor in Broadcasting, Northern Arizona University
Serving: AZ, FL, GA, HI, IN, NM, NV, NC, OH, OK, SC, TX, CA: San Diego and Inland Empire
Advice to prospective students:
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God said that YOU are unique and an exact original. There is absolutely no need for a Xerox company in Heaven because God makes no copies. That is especially true of you! He has a unique purpose for your life waiting to be discovered. The average student will meander through college and attempt to pick a major several times. Then change it because they have not sought the Lord or examined their gifts, talents and passions. As your Admission Counselor, my goal is to help you discover your Unique purpose that God determined before you were born.
How do you spend your free time?
I spend my free time with my church, my queen (my wife) and two young sons. I also am a Christian recording artist and an avid Laker and NBA fan! I also LOVE watching thinking movies!!
Contact Gary
Phone: (714) 879-3901 ext. 2290
Email: gcburnett@hiu.edu
Counselor Since: 2005
Hometown: Napa, CA
Degree(s): B.A. in Youth Ministry, Hope International University
Serving: CO, MO, MN, IL, CA: Central California, Los Angeles County, Antelope Valley, Brea, La Habra, Whittier, San Fernando Valley, Simi Valley, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Santa Barbara
Advice to prospective students:
My advice for students is before you look at any colleges, ask yourself, or discuss with family and friends, what college characteristics are of interest to you and why (location, major, size, public/private). Ask yourself what is most important to you. Then filter each college through that list. Look at colleges and universities based on how they can prepare you for what God has called you to do. Don't just look at a school because you have heard the name before.
How do you spend your free time?
One of my favorite things is going to the movies; I love action movies. I also love to surf, snowboard, camp, hike or pretty much anything with water.
Contact Chris
Phone: (714) 879-3901 ext. 2225
Email: cdjensen@hiu.edu
Counselor Since: 2006
Hometown: Longmont, CO
Degree(s): B.A. in Biblical Studies, Hope International University
Serving: OR, WA, ID, CA: Orange County, Northern California
Advice to prospective students:
When looking for the right college, make sure you get the full experience! Talk to your counselor, visit the campus, sit in on a class and chat with current students. When I experienced Hope for the first time I knew that there was something special that made it different. Many times a campus has a certain feel. or a certain personality that can't really be explained or understood until you experience the campus for yourself. In my opinion a college's personality is one of the most important parts to think about when making your decision. A campus can look really nice or sound really good on paper but if it's personality and feel aren't what you're looking for, then it's probably not a good fit for you.
Many people in your life will have good advice but only you and God know your heart. Pray and trust your heart.
Oh, I almost forgot. make sure you try the cafeteria food. : )
How do you spend your free time?
I have a couple old acoustic guitars (one that used to be my Dad's). I play them everyday. It takes up a lot of my free time. Playing beach volleyball takes up a lot of my free time as well. I play at least every Saturday, sometimes Wednesday's and Sunday's. I like surfing. I love snowboarding. I also love this little coffee shop in downtown Fullerton called Cafe Veronese. If you're ever in Fullerton you have to check it out. My favorite place on campus has to be a three-way tie between the Cafeteria, the pool and my office.
Contact Mike
Phone: (714) 879-3901 ext. 2245
Email: mjputrah@hiu.edu
Counselor Since: 2007
Hometown: St. Louis, MO; San Diego, CA; Mesa, AZ; Thailand; Europe; Illinois
Degree(s): B.A. in Social Science, Hope International University
Serving: International Students & Missionary Kids
Advice to prospective students:
Get ready for a fabulous season of life! My challenge for students of any age is to get involved. I encourage freshmen to get involved and push through their first semester when emotions are high and range from homesickness to total excitement as they begin life on their own. Involvement can help transfer students meet fellow students and get acclimated to their new campus, and for upperclassmen, involvement is another opportunity to learn and grow as a person.
College is a time that I can look back and see how the challenges, joys, papers, ups and downs, professors, and staff all took part in my growth and development as a person. Look at Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." Jesus' flawless consistency is encouraging in a world where we can't rely on people or things to bring us hope. Remember that while you're in college. Get your hope from Jesus Christ and Him alone.
How do you spend your free time?
I imagine that I'm one of the world's best Starbucks customers (from Thailand to Germany to the US and back again). My life-long dream of working at Starbucks was shortly lived. I worked there for one proud day. I spend my free time writing fantasy novels by candle light. Okay, maybe not, but I if I could get my imagination to cooperate and write something like Harry Potter, I would be awesome. I drink grande, iced, soy chai's with one pump of white mocha while reading. I absolutely, positively love people, and love helping others. Traveling is my favorite thing to do. I have many homes and friends around the planet. I love to wear high heels. In college, I had a friend catch me vacuuming in scrub clothes with my high heels still on at the end of a day. I love pools or being on an Arizona trampoline with the sprinkler shooting up while listening to country music or rap. I love volunteering in youth ministry. I appreciate the dynamics of big cities and the people that the city holds, along w/ a great Midwestern farm, lake, or cabin. Life: mix it up. Next time, I'll try a peppermint white mocha.
Contact Rachel
Phone: (714) 879-3901 ext. 2234
Email: rfbarnes@hiu.edu
Counselor Since: 2007
Hometown: Fountain Valley, CA
Degree(s): B.A. in Social Science, emphasis in Sociology, Hope International University
Serving: Transfer Students, AK, IA, CT, KY, MA, MI, NJ, NY, PA, RI, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI, CA: Orange County, L.A. County, Long Beach
Advice to prospective students:
Take charge of your life by taking the process of becoming educated seriously. This will include a great deal of planning, organizing, late night studying, meaningful discussion with fellow students and professors, as well as critical thinking and analyzing on your part. Thoroughly research a school and what is has to offer before deciding on one. When you get there, gain as much knowledge and positive experiences as possible, recognizing that any truth in every discipline is God's truth and always keeping in focus the ultimate mission: to impact the world for Christ.
How do you spend your free time?
I love reading and philosophizing, parasailing and hang gliding, Asian art and Asian foods, foreign films and documentaries, playing with kids and talking to the elderly, collecting random, useless facts especially pertaining to history, playing volleyball and receiving backrubs, to name a few.
Contact Sarah
Phone: (714) 879-3901 ext. 2226
Email: sejones@hiu.edu