MICHELLE JUERGEN | staff writer

Senior track and field athlete Akoni Clubb posed for the cover and inside spread of the current issue of Playgirl.

Playgirl is a monthly lifestyle magazine published in the United States that features seminude or fully nude men.

Clubb, came to APU from Maui, Hawaii on a track scholarship as a sophomore in 2005.

Prior to the Playgirl shoot, Clubb had not modeled until he moved to California. He modeled for JC Penney and for some fitness and sportswear ads, but was not pursuing modeling as a full-time career.

Playgirl representatives looking for young male models contacted the 21-year-old and asked if he would like to shoot with them. Clubb accepted because originally, he thought it was an easy way to make good money.

“I went to a junior college in Hawaii. I come from a poor family and I came to APU on scholarship. My mom is a single parent and she raised me, my sister and my little brother by herself,” Clubb said. “My mom didn’t raise me to make money the wrong way—if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t do it again. I made that choice, and it was the wrong choice. I will live and learn from it.”

In his interview, Clubb was asked why he posed for Playgirl.

“To get myself seen. I wanted to show my great looks to Playgirls all over the world,” Clubb responded.

According to Clubb, administration is currently in the process of handling the situation, but has not reached a conclusion.

When a student is suspected of violating a school policy, a three-pronged approach is taken. An investigation is made into the situation. When facts are discovered, a hearing takes place, where a confidential meeting takes place between the student and administration.

If the student is found to have violated APU’s Integrity Policy, a review committee decides on a sanction, be it probation, suspension or expulsion, depending on the situation.

Associate Vice President of Student Life, Willie Hamlett, could not comment on the specific situation, per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), but did offer his opinion on APUs method of dealing with violations.

“I think our policies are well-thought out. Many schools use a more formalized judicial review. I’ve been part of that process before, and I’ve found it to be less effective,” Hamlett said. “[Our method] is less adversarial. It’s more private. It lends itself to confession. It lends itself to restoration. I think it’s more effective in the building of the life of the community.”

Hamlett also commented that students who go through the process are mostly compliant and respectful in the process.

The school hopes that this process can provide correction where needed so that a student can become more fully who God wants them to be.

Clubb, an All-American decathlete on the track and field team, apologized for any affect the Playgirl modeling will have on his team.

“It was very selfish of me to do it. I wasn’t really thinking. I would never want to disrespect Coach Reid, Coach Barnett or Bryan Clay. I respect them highly.”

Junior business administration major Tyler Christian is a former roommate of Clubb’s.

“I’m concerned that this is going to haunt him for the rest of his life. I hope this decision doesn’t affect his future too drastically,” Christian said.

Junior English major Eric Catanzaro took a much different point of view.

“I understand why someone would do Playgirl for the money. I would do it if it wasn’t against school policy,” Catanzaro said.

Clubb said that he does not plan on ever modeling for Playgirl again. What seemed to be a quick and easy way to make money at first, became a lesson in life Clubb does not want to experience again.

“I’m not about disrespecting my school or my coaches. If it takes picking up a shovel and working construction [to make money], I’ll do it,” Clubb said.