May 26, 2017

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Final steel beam placed on new engineering building

California Baptist University celebrated a topping-off ceremony to mark the placement of the symbolic final steel beam on its 100,000-square-foot engineering building on May 23. The milestone was celebrated with a ceremonial topping out luncheon attended by construction team members along with CBU staff and faculty.

The new building will house the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering. It will feature a three-story layout that is targeted for completion in the summer of 2018. Plans for the innovative building design will feature two blocks of classroom, faculty and administrative space bracketing a massive engineering hall, providing multipurpose space for labs, projects, exhibits, presentations and student collaboration, as well as an interactive studio for K-12 STEM education.

 

 

Gordon Bourns, CEO of Bourns, Inc., signs the final steel beam of a new building that will house the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering at California Baptist University. The 3-story, 100,000 sq. ft. structure is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2018.

 

 

Key leaders share a “Lance Up” salute after signing the final steel beam for the new 3-story structure that will house the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering at California Baptist University. The 100,000-square-foot project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2018. Pictured (from left): Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU President; Gordon Bourns, CEO of Bourns, Inc.; and Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the Bourns College of Engineering.

 

 

Lancers win PacWest Commissioner’s Cup for 4th-straight year

For the fourth-straight year and fifth since joining the conference, California Baptist University has been named the best program in the PacWest by winning the coveted Commissioner’s Cup.

The PacWest Commissioner’s Cup was established in 2007-08 to honor the athletic program with the best overall performance in that academic year. CBU scored 157 points, an all-time high in the current 14-sport format. CBU won five PacWest Championships in 2016-17—men’s cross country, women’s cross country, women’s basketball, women’s golf and softball. CBU also finished in second place in men’s soccer, volleyball, men’s basketball and men’s golf.

“I’m proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for winning the cup four years in a row,” said Dr. Micah Parker, CBU director of Athletics. “Particularly, this group of senior athletes has been consistently outstanding in PacWest competition, evident in them winning the Commissioner’s Cup all four years of their careers. This accomplishment is a true blessing.”

 

Second wave of volunteers en route to global service

California Baptist University has sent out its second wave of volunteer teams to serve on the International Service Projects and Summer of Service (SOS) programs.

Eleven teams departed from CBU May 15-24 en route to Spain, Poland, Portugal, Germany, United Kingdom, Thailand, Southeast Asia and East Asia.

Crystal Castro, a sociology junior, will work with an indigenous church in Spain as part of SOS.

“I’m looking forward to learning about the culture and being relational with the people there,” Castro said. “God just pushed it on my heart to go. It was a walk of obedience to see if this is something I want to do in the future.”

The purpose of going on a service project is not to check off a box, said Jeff Lewis, director of Mobilization.

“This activity that they’re participating in is not the end of something,” Lewis said. “It is the continual development that we pray and hope will last them for the rest of their lives. That after they graduate from CBU, that they begin to make decisions based on the mission of God and not just on their whims and their desires of what they want to accomplish.”

The teams join 15 others already serving in South America, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Eastern Europe, Greece, United Kingdom, Poland, France and Germany. This summer, 36 teams with more than 300 volunteers will serve in 23 countries, assisting with English clubs, university ministry, engineering projects, sports and kids camps and healthcare.

 

CBU offers new student orientation months before fall semester

The 2017 fall semester may be months away, but new incoming students were eagerly preparing for it at California Baptist University on May 15.

More than 230 students, along with their parents, attended a New Student Orientation event.

The purpose of orientation is twofold, said Taylor Neece, director of undergraduate admissions. First, students can register for their classes. Second, students and their parents learn about the university’s culture and the services CBU offers.

“When they leave, we want them to feel oriented to classes, campus community and the culture,” Neece said.

Throughout the day, students and parents heard information about housing, meal plans, financial aid and CBU’s purpose. The students also received their student ID card.

“I’m really excited to come to college,” said Thomas Lotero, of Murrieta, California, whose brother attends CBU. “I love the campus and the culture.”

Thomas’ dad, Reed Lotero, said although he has been through orientation before, he still found it informative.

“[The speaker] mentioned several steps in making that transition easier for your kid. It’s about them, trying to support them,” Reed said.

Jay Stovall, director of new student programs, said the event also reassures parents that CBU cares about their student.

“This helps with the trust factor of parents feeling good about that decision [to come to CBU], and knowing that we intentionally care about their future and the success of the student,” Stovall said.

Kimberly Wright, mother of new CBU student Cindy Terrio, echoed Stovall’s sentiments.

“Orientation helped me on what I need to do as a parent to help her get her future going,” Wright said. “It gave me confidence in the decision she made in coming here.”

Orientation will be offered seven times for first-time students and five for transfer students before the start of the fall semester. For students who live more than four hours away, they have the option of doing a Virtual Orientation.

 

CBU men’s golf claims historic victory at regional championships

The men’s golf team at California Baptist University claimed a program first postseason victory by winning the NCAA Division II West/South Central Regional tournament on May 10. With the victory, the team qualifies to participate in the NCAA Division II Championships at the Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Florida on May 26.

Read the full story here.

 

 

 

Graduates set to start medical or doctoral programs

Sixteen alumni from the Division of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at California Baptist University will attend medical schools or doctoral programs in fall 2017.

Graduates will be attending a variety of universities, including nearby University of California, Los Angeles, and Riverside (UCR) to colleges on the East Coast such as Washington University in St. Louis and Auburn University in Alabama.

Kathy Gomez, who graduated with a biology degree with a pre-med concentration, will attend the UCR School of Medicine.

Gomez accredits the faculty at CBU in helping her gain acceptance into a medical school.

“Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I knew I could go to them for help, prayer or even a shoulder [to lean on],” Gomez said. “They helped build up my application by connecting me to different leadership, volunteer, and clinical opportunities.”

Gomez plans to pursue a career in the medical mission field. At CBU, she discovered that changing the world is not a complex concept.

“I found it to be simple—have a heart like Christ’s,” Gomez said. “Be kind to everyone and help those who need it with a smile. You never know what someone is going through and small actions, that you don’t really think about, can have a big impact.”

Dr. Lisa Hernandez, professor of mathematics and associate dean of the division, said the faculty places a great emphasis on community and getting to know the students on a personal level.

“Not only does this allow faculty members to pour in and mentor their students, but when it’s time for recommendation letters, the application process, and mock interviews, our faculty have a vested interest in the success of our students,” Hernandez said.

The division strives for academic rigor and excellence in order to prepare the students for future success, Hernandez said. The increase in acceptances into medical schools and other professional doctoral programs is a sure measure of that preparation, she added.

“We are continuously developing a culture of research and encouraging our undergraduates to partake in serious science and math research in order to show them how their disciplines can be applied to real-world situations, as well as, prepare them for the workplace and future study within their fields,” Hernandez said.

Natural and Mathematical Sciences graduates

Daley Thomale, 2017 mathematics:  University of California, Riverside, seeking a Ph.D. in mathematics
Gwendolyn Reynolds, 2017 mathematics: University of California, Riverside, seeking a Ph.D. in mathematics
Christian Shema Mugisha, 2017 biochemistry and molecular biology: Washington University, seeking a Ph.D. in genetics and genomics
Christopher Chan, 2017 biology pre-med: Loma Linda University, School of Dentistry
Brittni Hall, 2017 mathematics: Auburn University, seeking a Ph.D. in math education
Lindsey McCartin, 2016 biology: Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine
Elliott Best, 2016 mathematics: University of California, Riverside, seeking a Ph.D. in mathematics
Madeline Le, 2016 biology pre-med: Pacific University School of Pharmacy
Viral Patel, 2016 biology pre-med: Marshall B. Ketchum University, College of Pharmacy
Casey Reid, 2016 biology pre-med: University of Nevada, Reno, School of Medicine
Nicole Van Spronsen, 2016 biology pre-med: University of New Mexico, School of Medicine
Jacob Frey, 2016 biology pre-med: University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
Timothy Torrez, 2015 biology pre-med: University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
Carl Carlson, 2015 biology pre-med: University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
Brent Pino, 2012 biology pre-med: Western University of Health Sciences

Family Updates

The student leadership of the CBU Investment Group attended the Responsible Investing Summit in San Francisco on March 9-10. Students had the opportunity to network and were challenged by industry professionals who seek to do socially responsible investing.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joel Bigley, assistant professor of management, had an article published in Journal for Quality and Participation in April. The title of the article was Using Risk Mapping and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis to Address Security Threats.

 

 

 

 

Michael Scarano, associate director of athletics for compliance, was recently named as a mentor as part of the National Association for Athletics Compliance’s Athletics Compliance Elite Mentoring Program. Participants of the year-long program are paired to match senior-level compliance administrators with professionals who are newer to the compliance industry.

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, assistant professor of psychology, participated at University of California, Riverside’s Teaching Development Day on May 12. Smith presented a lecture titled Incorporating Pedagogical Theory in Course Design and participated in a panel titled Getting Hired at a Teaching Institution.

 

 

 

 

Evoke Magazine, CBU/Online’s student-produced magazine, won a Gold Hermes Award for the third edition of the magazine, which features articles about CBU/Online faculty, students and staff. Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of public relations, and Sam Park, assistant professor of graphic design, both for Online and Professional Studies, serve as faculty advisors for the publication.

 

 

Dr. Thomas Schneider, assistant professor of English for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the West Regional Conference on Christianity and Literature at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego on May 11-13. He presented a talk called Wolfram’s Parzival: Expanding the Boundaries of the Arthurian World.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Elaine Ahumada, professor of public administration for Online and Professional Studies, was the guest speaker for the Education Success Luncheon for the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino on April 25. The event honored employees of the Superior Court who received an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree or completed certificate programs in 2016.

 

 

 

Jennifer Zamora, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, helped plan an interprofessional education event with faculty from several other universities. The event was held at University of California, Riverside Extension on April 28. Twenty-eight CBU students joined approximately 370 other students. The students worked as interprofessional teams to learn about their roles in transitional care as well as come up with a plan for their patient in the scenario. Dr. Allan Bedashi, professor of physician assistant studies, Mary Ann Stahovich, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, and Heather Ontiveros, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, also served as facilitators at the event.

 

 

 

Dr. Heather Hamilton-Stilwell, assistant professor of journalism, was elected as founding chair for the Religion and Media Interest Division of the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) at the BEA Convention in Las Vegas April 22-25. During the convention, she chaired the Religion and Media Inaugural Address and was a panelist for the panel titled Grad/New Faculty 101 – What You Need to Know for That First Job.

 

 

 

Dr. Laura J. Veltman, professor of English, presented a paper at the Western Regional Conference on Christianity and Literature, hosted by Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, on May 11. The title of the paper was Controlling Metaphors, Defending Borders: Rhetorics of Space in Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima and Silko’s Ceremony.

 

 

 

 

Victoria Brodie, visiting professor of public relations, guest lectured for students and faculty at Guangxi Normal University in Guilin, China, on the topic of Strategic Communications on May 10. The lecture explored the need to strategize communications in the new dynamic and rapidly changing digital environment.

 

 

 

Dr. Dominick Sturz, associate professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, collaborated with the Southern California Public Health Association in developing and hosting the second of a quarterly Public Health Webinar Series: Talking Public Health. The topic for the session focused on the health freedom movement versus consumer protections and was attended by almost 60 public health professionals. The purpose of the series is to improve the field of public health through education, promotion and advocacy.

 

 

Jennifer Zamora, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, spoke at the American Medical Women’s Association at California Baptist University Health Science Campus on April 8.  She spoke on how to balance a career in medicine with raising a family. Zamora was also a key speaker at a conference called Journey to Becoming a PA hosted by Marshall B. Ketchum University Physician Assistant Program in Fontana, California, on April 15. She spoke to more than 160 Pre-PA students on becoming a physician assistant.  At the conference, CBU physician assistant students also helped with break-out sessions for special mentoring.

 

 

Dr. Marshare Penny, associate professor of public health, presented at the Association of Public Health Nurses Conference in San Diego on April 25.The title of the presentation was Trends in Heart Disease and Cancer Mortality in Riverside County, CA 2006-2015.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, visiting professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, participated in a professional athlete visitation day at the Children’s Hospital of Colorado in Aurora, Colorado, on April 20. O’Rourke, along with the National Arenacross Professional Motocross athletes and Pro Watercross athletes, visited children in the pediatric neurology, orthopedic rehabilitation and children cancer wings, providing toys and autographing posters.

 

Students and faculty from the CBU Biological Sciences and Environmental Science departments attended the 42^nd Annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference at Santa Clara University on April 22. Gabrielle Serrati, a student in Environmental Science, presented her research Invasive Aquatic Marine Species Colonization in the Dana Point Harbor. Karina Elias, a student in biological science, presented a poster, Fate and Aggregation Behavior of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanomaterials in Southern California Aquatic Environments. Environmental science graduate Stephanie Lara and biological science graduate Chau Nguyen presented a poster, Distinguishing and Quantifying ‘New Carbon’ from ‘Old Carbon’ on Reclaimed Coal Mine Sites. Alyssa Garcia, Timothy Koo, and Ariana Hartoonian, students from biological science, presented a poster, In Vivo, Ex Vivo, and Embryonic Cardiovascular Physiological Analysis in Zebrafish. The students were led by Dr. Jacob Lanphere, Dr. Bonjun Koo, Dr. Won-Pyo Park, Dr. Nathanael Heyman and Dr. Daniel Szeto.

 

Dr. Gary Steward, adjunct professor of history for Online and Professional Studies, received the Outstanding Scholar of the Year award from the faculty of Colorado Christian University, where he also teaches.

 

 

 

 

Eight CBU students were selected for the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) Public Service Fellowships for 2017-18. The nine-month program, a partnership with CBU, University of California, Riverside and WRCOG, places fellows in one of 22 local government agencies to gain high level experience with a career in the public sector. Fellows work with executive management to learn, develop and create new programs, policy and initiatives in Western Riverside County. Students who received fellowships are: Alexandra Nay (OPS public relations) – City of Murrieta Fellow; Jessica Sanchez (OPS public relations) – City of Lake Elsinore Fellow; Sarah Rodriguez (English) – District 3 Fellow with Chuck Washington’s Office; Stephanie Lara (environmental science) – Western Municipal Water District Fellow; Maria Marquez (master’s in public health) – City of Perris Fellow; Daniel Bokelman (OPS business administration) – City of San Jacinto Fellow; Michelle Holguin (master’s in public health) – City of Jurupa Valley Fellow; Karla Aparicio (political science) – City of Menifee Fellow.

Personnel Updates