From a young age, Cecil Hale (BA ’20) extended a helping hand.

In high school, he fed the hungry with Glory Bond Ministries church. At Fresno City College, he created the nonprofit Universal African Community Supportive Service that funded a trip to Houston, where he volunteered with people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. And as an adult, this Fresno Pacific University alumnus—and current graduate student—works with people struggling with homelessness, drug addiction and mental health.

Today, Hale is homeless services manager at 40 Prado Homeless Services Center, a program of Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO). The center helps people move into self-sufficiency through services such as overnight shelter, meals and medical care.

Hale says his work, self and purpose is strengthened by his investment of time at FPU.

“Fresno Pacific has definitely given me the power and the wisdom and the strength to be my authentic self—to accept my culture, to accept the things that I’ve overcome and to accept my religion,” he says. “And also to be a servant-leader, to put people before me and to make sure that everyone who crosses my path feels loved and heard.”

After earning his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Hale is now pursuing a Master of Arts in Strategic and Organizational Leadership. It wasn’t a straight line from Edison High School to the university—Hale first played football at Merced College, earned an associate degree at City College and also took classes at California State University, Fresno.

In 2007, as a single father, he took a break from college to focus more on family. He also began working for Turning Point, a nonprofit that provides services to those struggling with homelessness, drug addiction or the return to society after incarceration.

While he loved the work, Hale left to go back to college after a few years, making ends meet with odd jobs in security and a call center. “But when I tried to do something else, outside of that field, I definitely felt a void and a lack of purpose,” he says.

Returning to Turning Point in 2016, after a few years Hale enrolled in the degree completion program at Fresno Pacific. He knew he needed a degree to move up in his field.

“To be able to continue working and the flexibility of night classes was very appealing,” Hale says of the Fresno Pacific program. “And I was really interested in the faith-based component.”

At FPU, Hale felt the support of professors and an individualized approach to each student. “Fresno Pacific helped me embrace my authentic voice,” he says. “We don’t know how many people we are helping by simply embracing our truths.”

Shortly after completing his bachelor’s degree, Hale moved to San Luis Obispo to join his wife. Each brought children to the marriage—most of them adults—and the couple also has twin girls born in 2021. Altogether, they have 10 children.

He also began working with CAPSLO. As someone who grew up in low-income housing, Hale feels the plight of those struggling to find and keep a place to live.

“For me, there’s nothing more rewarding than helping someone go from tent to housing, or just watching someone regain their identity and self-worth or reconnect with family and friends,” he says. “It’s the greatest high you can ever feel. It’s the most purposeful job. I can’t even believe I’m getting paid to do it sometimes.”

Fresno Pacific taught Hale a lot about the different kinds of leaders. “Many times as leaders we forget where we were when we started, and we don’t allow people to have the grace and mercy that is needed,” he says. “Sometimes people need to fail and make mistakes to learn.”

The greatest part of being a Christian is having grace and mercy, Hale believes. “I don’t have to wear my mistakes on my sleeves. I can still be a success even though I was a teenage father and I didn’t do everything the right way. I can still finish school, I can still be a manager, I can still run an organization, and I want the people around me to feel that about themselves too,” Hale says.

“That’s what FPU has given me and gives so many others that attend there.”