Step into Dr. Sophia Magallanes-Tsang’s cozy office in Nyvall Hall, and you might want to hang out all afternoon. Comfy chairs and a sofa surround a colorful area rug. Books and mementos line her built-in shelves, including a metal Peanuts lunchbox, a highlight of her vintage collection of the 1980s lunchroom staple. The welcoming vibe is all part of her teaching philosophy.

“To learn, you have to be at ease,” said Magallanes-Tsang, assistant professor of Old Testament. “Once, the only people who could go to college were those with money who had the leisure and space to learn. I strive to create an atmosphere of hospitality for all students.”

Magallanes-Tsang, whose maternal ancestors are fifth-generation residents of New Mexico and whose father, a roofer, was born in Juárez, Mexico, is the sixth of seven daughters born to her parents and the first to be born into Christianity. She grew up in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California. “I’m a true Mexican American,” she said.

Truly, there’s no hyphen about it. I’m Mexican; I’m American.

Her parents became Christians after overcoming personal addictions. Although they expected her to attend Bible college, like her older sister, they were supportive when she decided to go to a four-year university, becoming the first in her family to do so.

She thrived at Azusa Pacific University, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree. She later earned a PhD in Divinity from the University of Edinburgh and a Master of Arts in Theology: Biblical Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Magallanes-Tsang is particularly interested in the Book of Job, which she says carried her through a hard time in her early 20s.

She joined North Park Theological Seminary in 2024 thanks to a collegial relationship with Dr. Max Lee—professor of New Testament and Paul W. Brandel Chair of Biblical Studies—who contacted her about an open teaching position.

Reflecting on her journey, Magallanes-Tsang said, “The Lord led me to North Park. I love teaching here and living near campus, and I’m thrilled to see students experience the Bible for the first time.”