In this issue…
Current News
“SERVE program” connects new CBU students to community
Madison Quiring and Joshua Flaherty work with other students to wash service vehicles for Sherman Indian High School.
New students at California Baptist University upheld a tradition of service by donating thousands of hours to community projects just days before the Sept. 2 start of the fall semester.
Nearly 1,700 students each completed two hours of community service Aug. 30, working on projects in elderly residents’ homes, at Operation Safe House, Sherman Indian High School and other facilities. They also worked at 10 locations coordinated through Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful.
Kelli Welzel, director of new student programs, began the SERVE program last year to connect new students with the university’s neighbors.
Some student groups took the streets of Riverside, filling up bags with trash and cleaning playgrounds. One group painted a backdrop for a Child Abuse Prevention picnic. Some international students from China, France and Brazil served at Magnolia Church in a variety of ways.
“It’s a great way to interact with the community,” said Ashley Vidaurri, an incoming freshman. “It’s a lot of hard work but I’m willing to do it for the community.”
Vidaurri’s group, one of five working at Sherman Indian High School, raked gravel in a school parking lot. On another part of the campus, Federick Martinez, a member of Sherman’s maintenance staff, shoveled dirt from the back of a truck while other CBU students spread the soil over dead spots on school grounds.
“They have done an outstanding job,” Martinez said of the student volunteers. “From the coach to the principal, we appreciate their efforts.”
Martinez noted that this is not the only time the two schools interact. Throughout the year, CBU students tutor Sherman students.
“They are like older brothers and sisters,” he said. “There is so much help that comes from CBU for our students. They are a big part of our community.”
California Baptist University welcomes new students
Members of CBU’s water polo team help new team members move in on campus.
Classes began Sept. 2 at California Baptist University after a busy weekend of moving into campus housing and New Student Orientation activities.
“Everyone here is so nice and respectful of those around them,” said Hannah Herrman, freshman Christian studies major.
Herrmann, a triplet, drove to CBU with her father and two sisters from Everett, Wash., which took about 25 hours. When they arrived, she said the energy was “very upbeat and exciting. Everyone was eager to help out.”
Herrmann explained that her two sisters are entering the nursing program, while her Christian studies major will prepare her for youth ministry.
“We wanted the support of a Christian university,” Herrmann said. “We knew that God wanted us here.”
The Laker family from Anchorage, Alaska, moved their son, Josh, into Smith Hall dormitory.
Josh made the decision to apply after looking for a Christian university with an engineering program. He felt CBU had the strongest one.
“We really feel blessed that the Lord is providing,” said Steffanie Laker, Josh’s mother.
Once boxes were moved in, students and parents moved on to the rest of the orientation activities, which included a goodbye to the parents.
“Up until that point it felt surreal to be going to college but when I said goodbye (to my dad) it hit me that I was in college and going to be living on my own,” Herrmann said. “I felt excited and also a little sad for my dad knowing that his kids are all grown up and in college.”
Other New Student Orientation events included the Clash Bash, in which students played mini golf wearing mismatched clothes, community service projects and a Phil Wickham concert. They will also be involved in the FOCUS (First-Year Orientation & Christian University Success) program, which familiarizes them with campus life and introduces them to other new students.
Fall enrollment numbers will be announced at a later date.
CBU architecture program moving toward accreditation
California Baptist University’s architecture program moved one step closer to accreditation recently when The College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD) was notified that the program had officially been named a candidate for accreditation.
The five-year master of architecture degree program began last year with about 30 students. It can seek full accreditation after four years of candidacy and after the first class graduates.
A team from the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) visited the program in April, said Mark Roberson, dean of CAVAD. The team reviewed the curriculum, instructional plans and student work.
Graduates of the program take the Architect Registration Examination to become a registered architect. About 45 states now require architects to have an accredited degree before they can take the test.
“The goal at CBU is to provide an accredited degree, because you can’t be a registered architect unless you have an accredited degree,” Roberson said. “It’s really a huge goal of ours to provide our students with something valuable for the amount of investment that they’re putting into the program.”
CAVAD is expanding the program to include overseas partnerships. About 15 students from Jilin Jianzhu Architectural University in China are enrolling in CBU’s program this fall. The plan is develop a two plus three program, where Chinese students would attend JJAU for two years, then come to CBU for three years to complete a degree.
English program builds bridge to international students
Shelley Clow
Imagine pursuing a college degree in a language other than your mother tongue. A growing number of international students are doing just that at California Baptist University and fortunately for them, Shelley Clow is on the job. As director of CBU’s intensive English program, Clow works to help international students sharpen their English skills.
“I have always had a passion for international students,” Clow said. “The language-learning area is a field that I find fascinating and a bridge to connect me with international students and people of other cultures. So I get really inspired by relationships with these people, the courage that it must take to go pursue a degree in a language that is not their mother tongue.”
Clow has worked for six years as an adjunct professor in the program but also served as an academic advisor for Online and Professional Studies. In her current role, she will assess student needs and develop study plans in response.
The intensive English program prepares international students for the level of English proficiency they need to succeed in their academic program at CBU, she said. Some students don’t need the program at all. Those that do need help receive 20 hours of intense instruction per week, covering skills such as oral communication, listening, pronunciation, vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing.
About 80 new international students are expected to start in the fall, Clow said. Nearly one third of that number will need the language program. CBU’s international students come from countries such as China, Brazil, India, Rwanda and South Korea.
The CBU community is in a unique position where the university is not going to international students around the world; they are coming to CBU, presenting an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to influence those who have never been reached by the gospel, Clow said.
“We have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus as well as to meet a need by teaching them English and language learning,” she said. “When people around campus have an opportunity to meet with or work with any of our international students, I hope they can see the opportunity to make a connection with someone who is from another part of this large world that God made and to appreciate what a special opportunity it is.”
Rickard named chair of CBU Bioengineering Department
Dr. Matthew Rickard
When the bioengineering department in the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering was launched last fall, Dr. Matthew Rickard, associate professor, was named interim chair. In July, he was officially named chair.
The department currently offers a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering. In this field, students study the human body from an engineering perspective and learn about medical devices and technologies, and therefore the curriculum is grounded in mechanical and electrical engineering. This provides opportunities for students to create high-tech solutions for improving human health.
It is logical to house biomedical engineering in its own department, Rickard said.
“It made sense not to have that degree in an existing department,” he said. “In the future we could add new degrees underneath bioengineering.”
Rickard’s goal is to offer other majors and possibly a master’s program. About six bioengineering students comprising the first class are expected to graduate in 2016.
Dr. Mark Gordon, assistant professor, and Dr. Seung-Jae Kim, associate professor, are also part of the department.
The curriculum was created to comply with ABET requirements, Rickard said.
ABET is the recognized accrediting body of college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology. Other requirements consider faculty, student experience, facilities and continual improvement policy. According to ABET policy, CBU cannot apply for accreditation until after the first students graduate, Rickard said. It takes about a year of review, but the accreditation is retroactive to include all the first graduates.
CBU team wins NATA Quiz Bowl
NATA Quiz bowl champs
What is the only muscle in the body that originates on the distal portion of a long bone and inserts on the distal portion of a long bone?
Most people may not know the answer, but a student in the College of Allied Heath athletic training program should. That was the final question a team of California Baptist University students had to answer for the National Athletic Trainers Association quiz bowl. (The answer: Brachioradialis)
For three consecutive years, CBU teams have won the regional Far West Athletic Trainers Association Quiz Bowl and went on to nationals. In June, the third time, a team from CBU won the national quiz bowl.
Two teams, each made up of three students in the athletic training program, competed at the regional quiz bowl in April and finished first and second. Three students also won cash awards for research posters at the regional conference.
The winning bowl team — Corrie Bober, Kelsie Gartner, Naclaysia McGee — went to nationals in Indianapolis to compete against teams from nine other regions.
The quiz bowl runs like Jeopardy, said Dr. Nicole MacDonald, associate professor of kinesiology and program director for the athletic training education program. There are categories to choose from and every team has a clicker. The competition is scored on how fast teams answer and if they respond correctly. The quiz covers material from the Board of Certification (BOC) exam, which all the students take.
“They don’t practice. We feel like the last two years of their education has been practice to be an athletic trainer and those are the skills that you need,” McDonald said. “It just shows how well our students do.”
The winning team received a check for $1,000 for the program.
“We don’t do anything special. It’s just for fun,” McDonald said. “But if you think about it, all these students are studying for the BOC exam, they’re all taking it right at the same time. It should be fresh in their minds.”
The students take at least three practice tests before the real thing, McDonald said. To be a certified athletic trainer, one must pass the BOC. The students knew answers for the quiz bowl and all the students knew them for the BOC exam. The 20 graduates from the program this year took the test in April or June. All passed, giving the program a 100 percent first-time pass rate.
Family Updates
Ryan Gleason (left), RPU account manager, presents a grant check to Dr. Seunghyun Chu.
Dr. Seunghyun Chun, assistant professor of engineering, received a $25,000 grant from Riverside Public Utility (RPU) to conduct research in Peak Energy Demand Shaving system, a joint research project with Pacific Energy Co. The funds will assist in building a working prototype system using photovoltaic panels, battery banks and power electronics to help stabilize the power grid.
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis presents the Employee of the Month award to Robert Vis.
Robert Vis, director of development, was selected Employee of the Month for September. His nomination form included the following statements: “Robert is well-respected by those he works with and for. His skill set also includes design, and he has gone above and beyond his job description and used those talents to improve the materials associated with University Advancement. He is an excellent director of development and, most importantly, a good and Godly man.”
About 1,700 new students converged on the CBU campus Aug. 28-31 for New Student Orientation. The theme was Connecting New Students to Campus, Classmates, College Life & Christ.
Activities included class registration, games and plenty of fun.
Dr. Riste Simnjanovski
Dr. Riste Simnjanovski, assistant academic dean for Online & Professional Studies, recently edited an article for the Journal of the American Dental Association titled Clinical and radiographic success of mineral trioxide aggregate compared with formocresol as a pulpotomy treatment in primary molars: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
From left: Lupe Solano, Terry Couch, Pam Tebow, Jane Ellis and Daphne Paramo
Women of Vision hosted an event Aug. 14 titled Hinds’ Feet in High Heels featuring Pam Tebow, mother of former NFL player Tim Tebow. More than 130 participated in the event. Proceeds will fund scholarships in the School of Nursing.
Robyn Glessner
Robyn Glessner, adjunct professor of history, recently evaluated more than 600 student essays on historical topics of the reconstruction era and World War II as a reader for the College Board’s Annual AP Reading in U.S. history. She also attended a lecture by Eric Foner on his upcoming book about the underground railroad in New York City.
Dr. Charles Sands
Dr. Wayne Fletcher
Dr. Sean Sullivan
Dr. Charles Sands, dean of the College of Allied Health; Dr. Wayne Fletcher, chair of the department of health sciences; and Dr. Sean Sullivan, chair of the department of kinesiology represented CBU Aug. 23 at the Riverside Medical Clinical Foundation 5th Annual Dinner. In addition. Sands and Fletcher attended the MedAdvance Conference July 17-19, which was hosted by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board near Richmond, Va.
Krista Wagner, adjunct professor of English, recently published her debut novel, Intent, on Amazon Kindle.
Dr. Kyle Stewart
Dr. Kyle Stewart, assistant professor of physics, presented research titled Angular Momentum Acquisition in Milky Way Sized Galaxy Halos at the University of California, Santa Cruz Galaxy Workshop on Aug. 15.
Dr. Anthony Chute
Dr. Anthony Chute, professor of church history and associate dean of the School of Christian Ministries, contributed a chapter on William Rogers for the book, A Noble Company: Biographical Essays on Notable Particular-Regular Baptists in America, Volume 5, recently published by Particular Baptist Press. Chute’s chapter is a biographical exploration of Rogers’ pastorate at the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, chaplaincy during the Revolutionary War, professorship at the University of Pennsylvania and writings that shaped the missional outlook of early Baptists.
Dr. Tom Marshall presents research during a recent conference.
Dr. Tom Marshall, professor of engineering, presented a paper Aug. 28 at the One Water technical conference sponsored by American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Association in Ohio. The paper, titled JOINING FORCES – A Look at Restructuring of a Water and Sewer Utility,was based on Marshall’s engineering optimization study.
Personnel Updates
