February 19, 2016

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

CBU celebrates Black History Month with artistic event

Students celebrated the cultural influences of African-Americans at California Baptist University in observance of Black History Month on Feb 18.

The United Club, comprising CBU students that promote culture diversity on campus, hosted the second annual event with Community Life at the James L. Stamps Foundation Courtyard.

“We students can be united in Christ,” said Grayson Bell, United Club president and a senior public relation major. “However, we have many different cultural backgrounds at CBU and we want to celebrate those differences.”

The event explored various expressions of art, poetry, songs and speeches that showcase the diversity within African-American culture. Students took turns singing, reading poetry or explaining what Black History Month means to them.

“We want this event to celebrate the diversity of our campus, acknowledging that, like our country, we are a melting pot of life experiences and cultures,” said Rory Todd, club advisor of United and a residence director at The Village.

Todd said that this event helps connect students to Black History Month.

“Black History Month provides opportunities to discuss openly and celebrate African-American culture. We want to strive for understanding and appreciation for others,” he said.

Bell said that the club seeks to honor the different types of cultures on campus by organizing different events throughout the year.

 

Speaker backs “integration model” to keep God in schools

Students benefit when public schools permit religion to be discussed in the classroom, according to Eric Buehrer, director of Gateways to Better Education (GBE), who spoke at California Baptist University Feb. 17.

Buehrer spoke about the diversity of issues pertaining to teaching religion in the public sector at the Faith, Freedom & Public Schools seminar sponsored by the Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf College of Education. GBE, a nonprofit organization founded in 1991, aims to inform public schools of the important contribution the Bible and Christianity have made to the world.

He said public school districts usually have one of three viewpoints on addressing religion in the classroom. The first is the “separation” view that tries to shield or censor students from any form of religious speech in the classrooms.

Additionally, there is the “evangelization” opinion that states it is illegal to worship, pray, or talk about one’s personal religion in the classroom. The third option is the “integration” model, which seeks to explore the academic appreciation for the impact that religion has had on education.

Buehrer believes in the “integration” model stating there are legitimate reasons why Christianity should still be an aspect of the public school classroom.

“It’s reasonable that American schools teach American students about American culture, because American culture is deeply immersed in the Judeo-Christian worldview,” Buehrer said. For instance, Buehrer noted when students study the religious persecution of the pilgrims they need to be able to have in-depth conversations on religious issues.

Ultimately, education is better for children when schools keep God in the classroom, Buehrer said.

Allison Mori, a liberal arts sophomore, appreciated the insights Buehrer shared about the public education system.

“This lecture was extremely helpful to my future career. I have attended private school my whole life,” said Allison Mori, a liberal arts sophomore. “Tonight I learned about how Christianity is viewed in a public school setting, and how I can be the best light for Christ that I can be while teaching.”

 

Collaboration boosts health care outcomes, speaker says

Dr. Nena Sanders lectured at California Baptist University about the importance of interprofessional education (IPE) in the area of health care on Feb. 16.

Sanders was a speaker at the CBU College of Health Science Distinguished Lecture series. She serves as vice provost of Samford University’s College of Health Sciences, is a fellow in the Healthcare Ethics and Law Institute at Samford University, and is an inductee into the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame.

“(IPE) occurs when students from two or more professions or disciplines come together, learn about and from one another, work with each other, to improve health outcomes,” Sanders said.

Sanders said health care professionals too often operate without knowing or working across their specific occupational lines, which is “a mistake.”

“Without collaborative practice, we will never, in the new environment, provide quality patient outcomes,” Sanders said.

She said that roles and scopes in medical practices “are more alike than different,” and that IPE will lead to the sharing of responsibilities, which she described as “creating a continuum of care, not slicing it.”

“For the first time in healthcare, we can redefine outcomes for patients, make their lives better,” she said. “How are we going to do that? You. You’re going to learn differently, you’re going to practice differently and you’re going to have a different sense of accountability about caring for those individuals.”

Dr. David Pearson, interim dean for the College of Health Science, said CBU students are taught from an IPE approach.

“Dr. Nicole MacDonald (associate professor of kinesiology) and our Athletic Training faculty have really led the College of Health Science into the IPE process,” Pearson said.  “Their work with the School of Nursing has established the template off which we continue to build collaborative practice partnerships across disciplines.”

 

Pastor, chapel speaker highlights virtue of patience

“You ought to have patience because God has all sorts of patience with you,” Dr. Eddie Pate (’80) told California Baptist University students at chapel Feb. 17.

Pate, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Barstow, has also worked overseas with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention for 11 years and directed the Kim School of Global Missions at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

The consequences of impatience can be drastic,” he said. “You want to have a broken relationship with somebody? Get impatient with them. You want financial disaster? Then decide you’re going to buy what you can’t afford right now.”

In the New Testament, when the Apostle Paul writes to the churches, he repeatedly tells them to be patient with each other, Pate said. In I Corinthians 13, when describing love, it says love is patient.

“Patience is the ability to remain calm even when you have been provoked, even in the midst of trouble, even in the midst of difficulty,” he said.

Being patient is a choice, Pate said, because everyone is in charge of their own emotions.

“If you’re in a situation that’s stressing your patience, then stop, pull back and get a better look on things,” he said. “When you think about it, most of the things that you get angry about really aren’t that big of a deal.”

Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, Pate reminded his audience. If believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, they will be patient with people, with issues and with trouble in life.

“Unlock the inner super power that’s in you – the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you’re a follower of Christ, you’ve got this special resource in you.”

 

“The 39 Steps,” a classic whodunit, opens at Wallace Theatre

California Baptist University’s theatre program will feature its third production of the 2015-16 season this weekend with “The 39 Steps.”  Performances start on Feb. 19 at Wallace Theatre.

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have “The 39 Steps,” a fast-paced whodunit. “The 39 Steps” is an adaption from the same titled Hitchcock movie and Patrick Barlow’s screenplay of John Buchan’s book. It follows the incredible adventures of Richard Hannay, as he encounters dastardly murders and double-crossing secret agents.

Alexis Safoyan, a freshman theater and public relations double major, plays Pamela, the love interest of Hannay.

“I enjoyed playing a strong sassy woman in the production,” said Safoyan. “My character has taught me to be more independent.”

Safoyan hopes that the audience is able to escape from a stressful day and spend two hours laughing with the cast.

“I hope that the audience will enjoy our take on a classic story and want to go back and read the original story,” she said.

“The 39 Steps”                                                            

When: Feb. 19-20, Feb. 25-27 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 20, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.

Where: Wallace Theatre, California Baptist University

Tickets: General admission $15, CBU Faculty and Staff $12, CBU students $10

Questions? Call the theatre box office at 951-343-4319 or email: mhyde@calbaptist.edu

 

CBU speaker talks of using artistry for God’s glory

The Rev. Dr. Byron Spradlin, president of Artists in Christian Testimony International (ACT), told California Baptist University students, “The Bible says that there is a very important role for the artistic person.”

The College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design hosted Spradlin for its Arts and Missions Lecture Series on Feb 15. His lecture focused on imagination as it pertains to people and their relation to God and ministry.

“I’m trying to encourage you to move forward in your studies and also catch a vision for how God has made you,” Spradlin said.

Spradlin, whose ACT ministry seeks to equip artistic and innovative ministries for missionaries work around the world, said that artists have an excess of imaginal intelligence (relating to imagination or images).

While all humans have the capacity for imagination, Spradlin said some are “unusually wise at imaginative design or expression.” That gift of imagination and artistry was given by God and should be used for His glory.

Spradlin said when we use art for God’s glory the artist can also show what beauty and virtue look like.

“Whether you are dealing in an organized church setting … or are working in a mainstream context, you are bringing a dynamic of beauty and the dynamic of virtue into that reality.”

 

Middle-school math enthusiasts compete at CBU

More than 150 middle school students from the Riverside and San Bernardino area gathered at California Baptist University’s campus to compete in MATHCOUNTS, a national competitive mathematics program, on Feb. 13.

MATHCOUNTS is an organization dedicated to promoting engineering and mathematics at the middle school level.

The Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering has hosted the competition since 2009. About 40 engineering students assisted in the event with registration, proctoring, grading and demonstrating some of their course work, such as a 3D printer.

“Intelligence takes on lots of different forms. Mathematics in one of them,” said Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the College of Engineering.

Donaldson praised the Riverside area for promoting math and innovation among students.

“You’re in a happening place,” he said, to students. “This is a place where things converge and innovation can occur and young minds can be inspired.”

Top finishers at the CBU event in the individual and team categories will move on to compete at the state competition. Additionally, CBU’s College of Engineering awards $10,000 scholarships ($2,500 per year) to top performers if they enroll in the CBU engineering program as a full-time student in the future.

 

Swimming and diving teams win big at Rocky Mountain

The Lancer men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams swept the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in Grand Junction, Colorado, on Feb. 13. The Lancers won both conference championships for the first time since joining the conference in 2013-2014.

The women won their third-straight RMAC title. The men pulled off a narrow victory for their first conference championship.

CBU also came home with individual honors. On the women’s side, Bre Schlenger was named the Diver of the Meet and Year after winning both boards at the event. On the men’s squad, Zach Parry was named the Diver of the Meet and Josh Hanson the Swimmer of the Year after their stellar performances at the championships. Parry won both boards, while Hanson won five conference titles.

Rick Rowland was also named the Coach of the Year.

“We have a lot of excited kids, we have never won a double title on the men and women ever,” Rowland said.

Read full women’s recap here.

Read full men’s recap here.

 

Exhibit at CBU Gallery depicts “A Beautiful Lie”

Regina Jacobson’s paintings, which portray the social dictates of the ideal body image for young women, are on display at California Baptist University’s “A Beautiful Lie,” art exhibit.

Jacobson is an accomplished artist, curator and speaker. She has also spent a lifetime working in the fashion industry that has helped form her concepts of beauty.

In her master’s thesis work “The Cult of Beauty” at the Laguna College of Art and Design, she describes the human spirit as one longing for approval and acceptance. Her paintings examine how a delicate self-worth can be undermined in a society where standards of idealized beauty seem hallowed and venerated.

Her paintings are critiques of cultural perceptions of “acceptable” bodies/faces and sexualized behaviors for young women. Working out of a neorealist tradition, she constructs symbolic images, which can be interpreted as being allegorical in a theological or mythological way.

“I wanted Regina to exhibit at CBU,” said Duncan Simcoe, visual arts professor at CBU. “She is right on point about her ideas of women and their bodies. She is a mature professional and her work should be an inspiration for young women at CBU.”

The exhibit is now open and runs through March 4 at CBU’s Gallery located at 3737 Main St., Suite. 101 in downtown Riverside. The display is open Tuesday – Saturday from noon – 8 p.m.

 

Missionary speaks of techie way to spread Gospel

John Kang, director of the missions group InterCP, spoke to California Baptist University students on how technology can be used to spread the Gospel to the unreached on Feb. 8.

Kang spoke as part of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering’s Information Technology and Frontier Missions seminar.

Technology has helped advance the Gospel across the globe through Bible phone apps and secure digital (SD) memory cards that store the Bible, Kang said through a translator.

“Within a year, we have given out 11,526 Bibles using SD cards. You can easily transport them,” Kang said.

InterCP is a nonprofit organization whose vision is to spread the Gospel to the 10/40 Window and beyond.

“Jesus was ministering in Galilee, the frontier land,” Kang said. “His Great Commission was to the people of the frontiers, to the people who don’t have access to the Word.”

Kang discussed how the Gospel can spread quickly through a committed group of believers.

“God used the small churches in the New Testament. Small groups of Christians built what Christianity is today,” Kang said.

The College of Engineering hosts these lecture series to encourage students to have a cross-cultural kingdom mindset of the world, said Dr. Mi Kyung Han, electrical engineering assistant professor at CBU.

 

Chapel speakers talk about having peace in life’s chaos

“Peace in chaotic circumstance is not natural, but it is possible,” Holly McRae told California Baptist University students on Feb. 8.

Aaron and Holly McRae spoke at chapel about having peace in the middle of life’s struggles. Aaron is the pastor of Hillside Community Church in Rancho Cucamonga. They have three children. In 2009, their daughter Kate, age 5 at the time, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. In the years since, Kate has undergone surgeries, procedures and treatments to save her life. She has seen her cancer go into remission only to find it come back twice. Kate is scheduled to undergo another round of chemotherapy soon.

Peace is not found in trying to fix the circumstances, Aaron said. He spoke from Philippians 4:4-9, where the Apostle Paul addresses how to obtain God’s peace.

“So what do we do in those moments when life doesn’t turn out as we hoped it would?” Aaron asked. “The peace that God offers isn’t based on what’s going on in our life. It’s rooted in the presence of God.”

Aaron and Holly said they were raised in the church and they know the Bible, but holding onto God’s peace through their daughter’s illness has still been challenging.

Aaron said to overcome anxiety and fear, believers need to focus more on God and what is true, right, pure and lovely, as Philippians 4:8 says.

“’Do not be anxious’—that has been a battle for us,” Aaron said. “It has caused us, forced us, to take our eyes solely off of our circumstances and see God at work.”

Believers also need to know that peace is not euphoria or that all sadness is gone, Holly said. It is a soul that is settled, but that will not happen without trust.

“It’s the sense of being protected when life is anything but,” she said. “Trust is foundational to peace. I’m still learning to trust my daughter’s story and my story to its Author.”

Only Christ and trusting in Him will bring a peace that circumstances cannot steal, Holly said.

“God’s taking our story and your story and he’s weaving it in into something much bigger, a much bigger story, a much grander story,” she said.

 

Men’s basketball earns victory on televised game

The Lancers men’s basketball squad overcame a 12-point halftime deficit and rallied in the second half to earn a 97-90 victory over Brigham Young University-Hawaii on Feb. 4. The game drew nearly 1,000 spectators to the Van Dyne Gym, and the contest was broadcasted live nationally by Fox Sports West.

“This win is huge for us,” said Gelaun Wheelwright, CBU guard who scored a career-high 38 points. “We’ve had a completely different mindset going into this last stretch of conference. We’re taking it one game at a time. Our run is coming, we just need to keep working.”

The team recently debuted at No. 5 on the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Regional Rankings with an 18-6 Division II record — CBU sits 20-6 overall, 11-5 in the PacWest.

Read the full game recap here.

 

CBU fair puts summer work options on “silver platter”

More than 30 churches, Christian camps and service oriented organizations participated in the Summer Ministry & Job Fair at California Baptist University on Feb. 3. Organized by the Career Center, the event offered students summer ministry opportunities and internships options.

Jake Lizama, a pre-nursing sophomore, visited the Wycliffe Bible Translators booth and was excited to discover they offered an internship in nursing.

“It’s awesome seeing all the different opportunities…[I got] to talk to great people who are very passionate about what they do,” Lizama said. “CBU has put it on a silver platter for me.”

Lindsea Murray, a business administration freshman, spoke to various Christian summer camp representatives.

“It’s really helpful that [CBU] brings the jobs to you. You don’t have to go out looking,” she said.

The fair offered what Megan Turner, Career Center graduate assistant, referred to as “resume boosters.”

It is a chance for students to get experience that will align with their education and career goals, said Turner, who coordinated the event.

Turner welcomed students of all majors to come to the different job fairs offered at CBU.

“You never know what jobs will be out there,” she said.

The Career Center has two more fairs in the works. On Feb 24, there will be a Business, Engineering and Communications Studies Fair, which is largest job fair on campus. Additionally, there is a Teacher Career Fair scheduled on March 10.

 

Drucker protégé urges value marketing and innovation

Nearly 200 people attended the Peter Drucker and Leadership seminar at California Baptist University on Feb. 1. The lecturer, Dr. Frank Dickerson, a student of Drucker at Claremont Graduate University, spoke on the leadership perspective he learned under the guidance of the legendary management guru.

The event was free and open to the public as part of the School of Education’s Leadership Seminar Series.

Dickerson is the founder and president of High Touch Communications, a marketing and fundraising organization, and The Written Voice, a research group that studies the language of promotional discourse.

Dickerson said there are three questions a successful leader must be willing to address: What is your business? Who is your customer? What does your customer consider of value?

Dickerson also spoke on what makes a successful leader, based on the instruction of Drucker.

“As a leader, you have to value marketing and innovation. This is where a company gets its results,” Dickerson said.

Drucker was a well-versed author, professor and management consultant. His work spanned more than six decades and helped turn modern management theory into a serious discipline.

Dickerson recalled fond memories of Drucker’s kindness. He also spoke about Drucker’s ability to challenge people.

“He challenged me to understand the management problems involved in running big organizations,” Dickerson said.

Family Updates

Kent Dacus, vice president for enrollment and student services, was elected earlier this month to serve as chair of the board of trustees for LifeWay Christian Resources. LifeWay is a provider of Christian resources, including Bibles, Bible studies, church music and digital services.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Cammy Purper, assistant professor of early childhood studies, Dr. Elaine Ahumada, associated professor of public administration, and Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations, all with Online and Professional Studies, were guest panelists at the superintendent’s book club at Grand Terrace High School on Feb. 3. The panelists offered insight on the book “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg and fielded questions from juniors and seniors. Superintendent Jerry Almendarez, of Colton Joint Unified School District, hosted the event.

 

 

CBU President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis was named an impact player in Inland Empire sports by The Press-Enterprise. The list of the Inland area’s 10 most influential, interesting or accomplished sports personalities placed Ellis at No. 4 for building the events center.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Kenneth Minesinger, associate professor of law for Online and Professional Studies, edited an article for the State Bar of California’s Business Law Journal. The No Contract Rule Actually DOES Apply to Transactional Lawyers appeared in Business Law News, Issue 4.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Chris Morgan, dean of the School of Christian Ministries, was interviewed for Books at a Glance website as co-editor of the book The Glory of God.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Robert G. Crosby III, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies and Dr. Erin I. Smith, assistant professor of psychology, published an article in the Journal of Psychology & Theology, Winter 2015. The article is Church support as a predictor of children’s spirituality and prosocial behavior.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joseph Pelletier, assistant professor of psychology, and student Bryce Ritt presented a poster at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology annual conference in San Diego Jan. 28-30. The poster was titled The Impact of Social Identity and Racial Salience on Judgments of Police and Civilian Interactions.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences, and her husband, Dave, have adopted a boy from Ethiopia. The adoption of Marjok, 7, was official Dec. 24. The couple have another son, Abraham, 8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates