In this issue…
Current News
New alumni and parent relations director has strong ties to CBU
For Joshua Moss, taking on the director of alumni and parent relations role at California Baptist University has many positives. For one, it represents a new opportunity at the post-secondary education level. Additionally, CBU is his alma mater. Moreover, the job is located in his hometown.
Ultimately, Moss’ passion for the university and its alumni sealed his decision to accept the position.
“I believe in the mission of CBU and the programs offered to its students,” said Moss, who started his position last week. “As an alumnus, I grew as a believer, got the support and encouragement that I needed and even met my beautiful wife, Brianna (06’), at CBU.”
Moss graduated from CBU in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. He then completed his teacher’s credential at CBU in 2004. He taught for four years in the Alvord Unified School District in Riverside. Moss then came back to CBU to obtain his Master of Science in secondary education and teaching in 2006. The degrees helped him advance in his career.
After completing his master’s degree, Moss transitioned to a school administrator and served as an assistant principal, middle school principal and high school principal—all in the past 10 years—within the Alvord district. He has also taught as an adjunct professor in the School of Education at CBU for the past four years.
Moss said he wants to contribute to the continual development of alumni.
“I want our department to offer opportunities for Lancers to fellowship, provide mentorship opportunities, and help open doors of possibilities for each other,” Moss said.
To accomplish this vision, Moss plans to be intentional on how he builds relationships and connections with alumni, not only locally but nationally as well. Moss also looks forward to hosting some of his office’s events that aim to reunite Lancers, such as the Parent & Family Weekend (Nov. 10-11) and Homecoming (Feb. 9-10).
“I look forward to meeting and engaging with Lancers from all eras and hope to provide support and resources for all of our alumni,” Moss said. “There are so many amazing things happening in the lives of our alumni and we want to know about the impact they are making all over the world.”
CBU to offer new bachelor’s degree in finance
The stewardship of money will be on the minds of new finance majors come the fall 2017 semester at California Baptist University. The new bachelor of science degree in finance offered through the Dr. Robert K Jabs School of Business will emphasize a Christian worldview approach to handling finances.
“Throughout our program at CBU a student will learn how to acquire, multiply and protect money in addition to grappling with how to accomplish this in a God-honoring way,” said Dr. Adele Harrison, professor of finance. “The program will teach students to invest time developing analytical tools, improving interpersonal skills, plus establishing the values-actions connection. This combination of skills and values-based decision-making is useful in any industry, in any organization.”
The program prepares students for a variety of competing opportunities, whether in corporate finance, insurance, banking or pursuing the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) or Certified Financial Planner (CFP) roles, Harrison added.
“Tell me one area in life that doesn’t have a financial complexity to it?” Harrison asked. “We want our students to have a comprehensive Christian worldview that teaches them how to be good stewards so that they can help themselves, their families, churches and communities make good financial decisions.”
Harrison sees students’ ability to make sound financial decisions developing from not only a solid academic program but also from opportunities to connect and learn from successful individuals.
To that end, Harrison plans to coordinates trips to top investment firms in the area in addition to hosting investment summits on campus that deals with responsible investing. Additionally, Harrison oversees the Investment Group at CBU where students gain hands-on experience with the stewardship of money.
“Our investment group is a student-managed investment fund run by students under the director and guidance of a faculty advisor and an external board of advisors,” Harrison said. “Student gets to pitch multiple investment opportunities, defend their selections and monitor and track their performance. It’s an excellent learning experience.”
The Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business at CBU is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), the premier accreditor for teaching-focused business programs. The finance degree is the fifth major offered within the school of business. The degree requires a completion of 72 units.
For more information on the finance program at CBU click here.
Dawn Ellen Jacobs builds up new faculty on a biblical foundation
Before new faculty members at California Baptist University even set foot on campus there are a number of individuals already planning for their success.
Dr. Dawn Ellen Jacobs is one of those persons.
“One of the joys of my work is to collaborate with the new faculty that we are hiring,” said Jacobs, CBU veteran of 26 years. “Not only are we hiring excellent scholars who are academically prepared but they are committed to serving and want to be in the classroom, and they want to impact students’ lives.”
For the past 12 years, Jacobs has served as the associate provost of faculty development, helping new faculty develop and transition into their roles at CBU. This fall, Jacobs will be transitioning into a full-time teaching position in the department of modern languages and literature; however, she also will remain a key person in faculty development by taking on the role of director of new faculty development.
Jacobs said that the number of faculty has grown significantly in correlation to the enrollment boom CBU has experienced during the past decade. Stepping away from the provost position and transitioning into the director role will help her devote more time and energy to the growing faculty development needs.
Jacobs has been instrumental in developing programs that help new faculty members become accustomed to CBU.
For instance, all new faculty members attend as a cohort The Seminar on Faith and Academic Profession at CBU. The seminar is designed to support the faculty throughout their first year. The group meets for an initial two-day workshop in August and then they meet every two weeks throughout the academic year along with day workshops in January and May. The seminar, which Jacobs helped launch a decade ago, also helps facilitate faculty members’ biblical worldview formation.
“These seminars offer our instructors a good baseline for where they are in their biblical worldview,” Jacobs said. “It also offers a way where we can identify areas for improvement. We want to support them in their spiritual life.”
A biblical worldview is relevant to CBU students, Jacobs said, because they desire a connection from their faith to the real world.
“‘How does my faith play out in the world?’ This concept is something our students are asking about more and more: ‘What does my field of study have to do with my faith and my desire to serve,’” said Jacobs, reflecting on questions she has heard from students at CBU. “Faculty at CBU need to have the answers to these questions.”
Jacobs said that CBU is intentional in its biblical worldview training. The seminar is run as a class. Instructors have a safe space to ask questions and to have dialogue for what a biblical worldview means, Jacobs added.
“What I appreciate at CBU is the community of believers we have, who are always challenged to grow in understanding. I don’t have all the answers; I don’t have a magic bag. However the Bible teaches us that iron sharpens iron,” Jacobs said.
Dr. Charles Sands, CBU provost and vice president, said he is pleased that Jacobs will continue to oversee new faculty development.
“Dr. Jacobs has served this institution with energy, professionalism and a very strong sense of purpose for the last 26 years,” Sands said. “We are fortunate that as she transitions out of administration, she will still maintain a vital role in developing our new faculty moving forward.”
Lancer basketball schedules for 2017-2018 season available
A new era for Lancer basketball in the California Baptist University Events Center will tip-off for the men’s and women’s squads starting on Nov. 10. Both teams at CBU will host season-opening tournaments.
CBU men’s squad hosts California State University, Dominguez Hills in its home opener at 7 p.m., before taking on California State University, Los Angeles the following day at 3 p.m. Both games are part of the Lancers Tip-off Challenge. The women’s squad will open against California State University, San Marcos at 3 p.m. and the next day against University of California, San Diego at 1 p.m. at the team’s first-ever Conference Challenge tournament.
“We are excited about this year’s men’s and women’s basketball schedules,” said Dr. Micah Parker, director of athletics. “Some of the highlights in the schedules include hosting two tournaments, a very competitive non-conference schedule and our first-ever basketball homecoming game.”
This season will be the last for CBU in the PacWest. The Lancers will transition to NCAA Division I beginning in the 2018-2019 season and compete in the Western Athletic Conference.
Lancer fans can purchase tickets at various levels at cbulancers.com/seasontickets. Additionally, for the first time, CBU Athletics has announced a season ticket campaign, allowing fans to secure their seat for the entire basketball season in the new Events Center.
View complete men’s schedule here.
View complete women’s schedule here.
School of Behavioral Sciences at CBU transitions into a college
The School of Behavioral Sciences at California Baptist University officially transitioned into the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences on July 1.
“This transition to a college follows significant growth in enrollment, faculty and degree offerings within the school and more appropriately aligns the offerings in this area with regional and national trends,” said Dr. Charles Sands, CBU provost and vice president.
The college has seen enrollment grow to nearly 900 students in the various programs this past fall. With the growth, CBU will be adding two new programs this fall—a Master of Social Work and a Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences will have five majors, five minors and five graduate programs. Additionally, in the fall of 2018, the college is set to introduce a Master of Science in Sport and Performance Psychology along with a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology—the first doctoral program in the behavioral and social sciences at CBU.
Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, said the transition is an opportunity to build on a solid foundation.
“I see this as building on a legacy of excellence that was started more than 35 years ago,” Gustafson said. “Our alumni continue to be well represented in our communities and beyond.”
In the past decade, the School of Behavioral Sciences has seen its number of graduates significantly increase year-by-year accumulating to nearly seven-thousand students.
Phil Breitencuher (00’), psychology alumnus and director at the non-profit group Children and Family Futures, said the culture at CBU helped prepare him for his future career pursuits.
“I enjoyed the high expectations and small class atmosphere which prepared me for graduate school. After graduating from CBU, I was immediately able to apply the knowledge I gained to the field of social work,” said Breitenbucher, who also serves as the program director for the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and Family Recovery Initiative.
“In my professional interactions with CBU alumni, I see them as being passionate and mission-driven individuals,” Breitenbucher added.
Gustafson said the additional programs, including at the doctoral level, will help CBU influence behavioral and social science discussions not only on a regional level but a national level as well.
“Our programs are positioned to offer high commitment to academics with an emphasis on culture and justice issues this attracts bright and gifted instructors who want to be a part of our mission,” Gustafson said. “We are about bringing individuals back into relationships… in our communities, this means helping the underserved and sometimes the most vulnerable people.”
Music lecturer enjoys spending time as a student
Ruth Noemy Wheeler, violin instructor and Symphony Orchestra conductor at California Baptist University, believes in the concept of lifelong learning. That is why she recently took time to once again assume the role of a student.
Wheeler attended the Starling-DeLay Symposium on Violin Studies at the Juilliard School of Music located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York. Wheeler was one of 200 musicians selected worldwide to attend the symposium that was held from May 30-June 3. It was Wheeler’s third time participating in the conference. She also attended an orchestra-conducting workshop at the New York Conducting Institute from June 4-6.
The knowledge gained in these opportunities not only challenges Wheeler to develop her own talents and creativity, but she also observed how the instructors taught the students. Wheeler enjoys learning from others.
“I had a violin teacher tell me, ‘the best violin teacher isn’t just one who teaches violin, it’s also one who teaches character and helps a student through their personality to become a better musician,’” Wheeler said.
Wheeler has grown up in an environment of instruction. Her dad, Gilberto Orellana, Jr. is a violinist, composer and conductor, and has professional ties to the National Symphony Orchestra in El Salvador. Since the age of three, when she picked up her first violin, Wheeler has sought to become like her dad.
Wheeler recalls her first memories of playing the violin as both fun yet hard.
“I realized it wasn’t easy,” Wheeler said. “The violin doesn’t play by itself.”
Wheeler continued to follow in her father’s footsteps while developing as a young promising violinist. She attended the Superior Conservatory of Music in Malaga, Spain. She then earned a master’s degree in violin performance and conducting from CBU.
She joined the music department at CBU as an adjunct faculty in 2010 teaching violin and then transitioned into a lecturer in 2012. That year she also started to conduct the Symphony Orchestra.
Wheeler is also a concertmaster for the Corona Symphony Orchestra and works with the Riverside Arts Academy, which provides low-cost and free arts programs for the community.
Wheeler said she seeks to connect with her students by following Jesus’ example and caring for each one of them.
“One of my goals is to inspire my students to build up their character and to be able to be successful in their musical craft,” Wheeler said.
Mihalko earns PacWest Female Athlete of the Year
The awards keep pouring in for Cassidy Mihalko’s historic senior season at California Baptist University. Mihalko was awarded the PacWest Female Athlete of the Year on June 21—a first at CBU.
This past season, Mihalko became the PacWest’s all-time leading scorer with 2,231 career points.
Read the full story here.
Family Updates
Josh Morey
Joel Brown
Josh Morey, director of Financial Aid, and Joel Brown, special programs coordinator for Financial Aid, presented at the Jenzabar Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., on June 2. The name of the presentation was Using Cognos Reports for Your Awarding and Compliance Processes.
The College of Nursing Learning Resource and Interprofessional Education Center at California Baptist University has been granted provisional accreditation through the Society for Simulation in Healthcare. The society is the largest international accrediting body for healthcare simulation.
From left: Allison “Ally” Russell and Dr. Ronald L. Ellis
Allison “Ally” Russell, administrative assistant to the College of Health Science, was named employee of the month for July. The nomination form included the following statements: “Ally’s effort on the Global Missions Health Conference held last February reflects the spirit of a university committed to the Great Commission. Her leadership with the GMHC was an amazing example for so many CBU student workers, volunteers and conference attendees. Ally wants things to be done well. She has not once cut corners, sought the easy way out, or wanted to cruise through a task. The work ethic and initiative are something to be proud of and she provides a great example for those around her.”
Dr. Lisa Bursch
Dr. Lisa Bursch, associate professor of nursing, gave a presentation at the International Council of Nursing Conference in Barcelona, Spain, May 27-June 1. The title of the presentation was Creating a Multidisciplinary Team to Develop and Implement Interprofessional Education (IPE) Simulations Preparing Students for Collaborative Practice. More than 9,000 nurses from more than 20 countries attended the conference focusing on nurses at the forefront transforming care.
Shawn Wilhite
Shawn Wilhite, assistant professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, wrote an essay for theLAB: The Logos Academic Blog (June 27, 2017). The title was A Strategic Approach to Reading Background Texts of the New Testament.
Dayna Herrera
Dr. Dayna Herrera, associate professor of nursing, presented at the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation & Learning in Washington, D.C., on June 21. The presentation was titled Developing Highly Immersive IPE Simulations.
The CBU group visits the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Italy.
The College of Arts and Sciences sponsored a tour of Italy on May 15-24, led by Dr. Troy Hinrichs, professor of criminal justice, Dr. Eric Brook, professor of history and humanities, and Tiffany Brook, adjunct professor of English for Online and Professional Studies. The 21 tour members included students, alumni and friends of CBU. With a theme of humanities, the group focused on arts and culture, visiting Venice, Florence and Rome.
Dr. Yeesock Kim
Dr. Yeesock Kim, associate professor of civil engineering and construction management, co-wrote several articles that were recently published. The articles were Fuzzy modeling of holding capacity of offshore suction caisson anchors in International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, (Issue 7, 2017); A model updating method with strain measurement from impact test for the safety of steel frame structures in Measurement (May 2017); System identification, health monitoring, and control design of smart structures and materials in Advances in Mechanical Engineering, (Issue 4, 2017).
Waylon Baumgardner
Waylon Baumgardner, senior web services manager for Marketing and Communication, was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors for HighEdWeb Association. He is also serving as interim treasurer for the association.
CBU students take part in a disaster simulation.
Twenty Master of Public Health students took part in a disaster simulation on June 29 to conclude their Outbreak and Emergency Preparedness and Response course. The simulation was facilitated by Dr. Marshare Penny, associate professor of public health, and Ramon Leon, the program chief of Riverside County’s Emergency Management Department. The event took place at the County’s Department Operations Center in Riverside. During the simulation, students worked with public health trained practitioners to respond to a fictional scenario—a major earthquake hitting CBU. Students developed search and rescue, sheltering, and communication strategies for the disaster response.
Dr. Anthony Chute
Dr. Anthony Chute, professor of church history, presented two papers at the Baptist History & Heritage Society Annual Conference held in Augusta, Georgia, on June 1-3. The papers presented were titled Joshua Callaway: Inflexible, Stern, and Beloved Georgia Pastor and Samuel Boykin’s Biographical Compendium: Developing a Nineteenth-Century Ministerial Profile.
Dr. Bruce Stokes
Dr. H. Bruce Stokes, professor of anthropology and behavioral sciences, recently had two articles published. Gentiles in the Messianic Movement was included in the book The Jewish Concern for the Church (Wipf and Stock Publishers). The second was titled A Response to Messianic Jewish Ethics Concerning Intimacy and Sexuality and published in Kesher, A Journal of the Messianic Jewish Theological Institute (Summer 2017).
From left: Matthew Miller, Andrew Ricci, Ben Kumar, Dr. Daniel Clark (SAE club advisor), Nathan Guest, Spencer Judy (seated in the vehicle), Tyler Rhode, Zachary Smith and Keegan Rivera
The Society of Automotive Engineers student club at CBU competed at the Collegiate Design Series national competition against 99 other schools in Lincoln, Nebraska, June 21-24. Their student-designed and -built Formula SAE vehicle was sponsored by the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering and industrial partners.
CBU President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis (right) congratulates Dr. Elijah M. Brown on his election as general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance.
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president, attended the Baptist World Alliance Annual Gathering July 2-7 in Bangkok, Thailand. During the gathering, Dr. Elijah M. Brown was elected as general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance. Brown is executive vice president of the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative and general secretary of the North American Baptist Fellowship. He begins his new duties with the BWA on Jan. 1, 2018, succeeding Neville Callam of Jamaica, who is retiring Dec. 31 after serving more than 10 years as BWA general secretary.
Morgan Teruel
Morgan Teruel, career counselor for Career Services, sang The Star-Spangled Banner before a LA Galaxy game on June 30 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
Personnel Updates
