Danny Paschall


Danny Paschall

20 Questions

Name: Danny Paschall
Position: Dean of Students.
Education: Azusa Pacific, B.A., Liberal Studies; M.A., College Administration.
At Biola since: 1994
Your StrengthsFinder top five? Individualization, discipline, empathy, connectedness, developer.

1. What do you do in your job (briefly)?  My job is to make sure undergrad students have all the tools and resources they need to be their best selves...all that God has created them to be.  The departments that come under the office of the dean of students are:  Residence Life, Housing, Student Transitions, International Student Services, Commuter Life and the Learning Center.  I also bring leadership and oversight to the Student Care team.

2. The five (or so) most influential books you've read:
Let Your Life Speak- Parker Palmer;
Slight Edge- Jeff Olson;
Happiness is a Serious Problem- Dennis Prager;
Letters to a Young Poet- Rainer Maria Rilke;
Risking Everything- Roger Housden.

3. An influential person in your life/hero/best example of love? Parker Palmer.

4. Why are you at Biola? I believe in Biola's values, good people, and healthy community.

5. A guilty pleasure: Kraft Mac and Cheese; apple fritters.

6. If God put you completely in charge of creating Heaven, what would it be like? It would always be Fall, all the animals would be able to talk, and everyone would eat vegetarian food.

7. If you could relive any part of your life, what part would it be, and why? I loved age 11.  I was old enough to explore on my own (build forts, ride motorcycles, etc.) but young enough to not have major responsibilities (mowing lawn, etc).

8. What are five things you are most thankful for in your life right now?
Carrie, Ramie, Brody, and Brenner,
Health,
Warm bed to sleep in,
Fall season,
My parents and my in-laws.

9. In difficult times, who would you most want praying for you? My friend Gail Taylorson, Nate Hamlin, Matthew Hooper, Dan Dau.

10. What is your definition of success? Do you consider yourself to be successful? I consider my life an absolute success.  I am doing my best to live my life according to certain values.  I believe living my life as close as possible to the person of Jesus Christ is the best way to be human. 

11. What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen? Foliage in Vermont, beaches of Kauai, a field of tulips in Oregon.