January 23, 2018

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU students take inspiring and educational journey to Israel

A group from California Baptist University traveled to Israel from Dec. 30–Jan. 10 for the chance to examine many biblical locations and to become more aware of the geopolitical factors of the area.

Jillian Helt, a biology sophomore, said the trip brought the Bible to life.

“Having seen the locations and topography of the land, I now have a deeper understanding of biblical stories including character motivations, geography and history,” Helt said.

The Israel trip, sponsored by the Philos Project and the Museum of the Bible Foundation through Passages, a tour agency, provides financial assistance for Christian college students seeking a guided tour of the Holy Land. The CBU group consisted of 39 students and four faculty members.

The group visited biblical sites including Nazareth, the Jordan River and the Mount of Beatitudes. They also took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, visited the Garden of Gethsemane and experienced the Lord’s Supper at the Garden Tomb. Participants also joined Jewish families for a Shabbat (Sabbath) dinner.

Abigail Cate, a nursing sophomore, said a highlight on the trip was singing worship songs on the Sea of Galilee.

“Seeing the biblical sites we have always heard about was like watching a picture turn into a reality,” Cate said. “It shocked me how real and ordinary the sites were, yet they were a reminder that Jesus uses the ordinary to bring God glory.”

The group also visited Tel-Aviv, the Western Wall, the Christian and Arab quarters in the Old City of Jerusalem and Yad Vashem, a Holocaust museum. They heard from an array of speakers, including Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders in addition to college-age Israelis, who were serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

Dr. Dawn Gilmore, assistant professor of music, who had Jewish ancestors that died in the Holocaust, said knowing that her relatives’ names are listed in the Holocaust museum had significance for her. To be in a museum that memorializes the tragedy and helps people understand what happened was very moving, she added.

Akeem Bentick, a philosophy junior, said the trip gave him a new perspective on the situation in the Middle East.

“I witnessed the daily lives of the people. I was amazed to see calmness in their daily lives and how there were friendly interrelations between the Palestinians and Israelis in Jerusalem,” Bentick said.

 

Rec Center director aims to help CBU community reach goals

Stefani Plummer, director of the California Baptist University Recreation Center, acknowledges the New Year brings more people to her place of work. She welcomes these new fitness seekers with a word of advice.

“We believe in results, not resolutions. To get to those results, we have to set appropriate goals,” Plummer said. “We try to educate people on what a real fitness goal would look like based on what they want.”

Plummer believes in setting goals. When her mother cautioned her about gaining weight as a college freshman at the University of California, San Diego, Plummer was determined not to let that happen to her. Her goal was to keep active. She took an exercise class at the college’s rec center and after a time, she ended up assisting the teacher and then eventually teaching the class.

Plummer was then hired to teach exercise classes seven days a week. In her junior year, she was asked to present at a National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association conference.

“I saw thousands of people who do this for a living and enjoy it, and I thought that’s what I want to do,” Plummer said.

Plummer, who earned a psychology degree in her undergraduate studies, switched career goals before graduate school. She earned a master’s in recreation management from Arizona State University and spent 15 years as assistant director of its rec center.

In October 2012 Plummer was hired at CBU to run the Recreation Center, which opened a few months later.

“It’s really a dream job because it allowed me to put years of creativity on display,” Plummer said. “Being at a faith-based institution, we’re able to bring Christ into the foundation of everything we do, from our mission statement to our policies to our programs.”

Plummer acknowledges that the Rec Center staff has to combat a narrow view of fitness, which often focuses on fast results or gimmicks.

“Our message to people is that fitness is about being healthy for you,” Plummer said. “We’re all different shapes and sizes and abilities, and there isn’t a one-stop shop for everybody. We train our staff to meet people where they’re at.”

The Rec Center is open to students as well as staff and faculty and their spouses. Resources for fitness seekers include a fitness assessment and several free personal training sessions. Additionally, the Rec Center hosts an array of weekly group classes such as cycling, boxing and high-intensity interval training. There are also short-term programs that focus on Olympic lifting and training for Spartan races. And for those who cannot get to the Rec Center, workouts from personal trainers and workout videos are available online.

Plummer said she enjoys helping people create and reach their fitness goals.

“We’re given an opportunity to use our gifts and talents, whatever they are, in life, but if we ourselves are not healthy and fit, we’re not as effective for the God’s Kingdom,” Plummer said.

 

Speaker shares her experience as a Samaritan’s Purse intern

Interning at Samaritan’s Purse is all about working hard and serving God and others, said Annie Arbiter, who spent six months interning with the evangelical Christian humanitarian relief organization. Arbiter spoke at an information session for Samaritan’s Purse Global Internship Program for interested California Baptist University students on Jan. 18.

Samaritan’s Purse Global Internship Program allows students and recent graduates to use their skills to impact the world for Christ in a tangible way, Arbiter said.

Arbiter, a Wheaton College graduate, interned from the end of 2016 until the summer of 2017, working in Greece and also in the Caribbean islands during the intense hurricane season that left many island communities devastated. Arbiter said she spent much of her time in the islands serving in refugee camps, helping maintain shelters, water sanitation stations and hygiene projects.

“I learned so much from the resilience and grace that so many refugees show in the face of such dire circumstances, and I feel honored to have built relationships with some of them,” Arbiter said.

Arbiter said Samaritan’s Purse focuses on serving in places of great need.

Samaritan’s Purse also conducts Operation Christmas Child (OCC), partnering with churches and organizations to deliver gifts and share the gospel message with children around the world.

CBU has participated in OCC since 2012. In 2017, the CBU community packed more than 950 shoeboxes in a campus-wide effort, with several departments and schools donating items for the shoeboxes. Additionally, FOCUS groups assembled the boxes and the Associated Students of CBU provided food for the event.

 

CBU Outdoor Adventures program hosts Mammoth trip

A group of California Baptist University students and staff spent the first holiday weekend of 2018 skiing and snowboarding on the snow-covered slopes of Mammoth Mountain. Thirty-five adventure seekers participated in the excursion, hosted Jan. 12-15, by the CBU Community Life Outdoor Adventures program.

“Mammoth Resort is a renowned place to ski and snowboard,” said Tucker Carl, Community Life’s program coordinator – outdoor adventures. “It has great snow, and is an incredible place to experience big terrain.”

Carissa Arguello, a kinesiology sophomore, signed up for the trip to meet new Lancers.

“It was really awesome being able to meet so many new people,” Arguello said. “I only knew a few people before the trip and by the end of the trip I felt like I made so many new friends.”

Outdoor Adventures programs at CBU offer students opportunities to enjoy natural wonders such as prestigious national parks, popular mountain ranges and the iconic beaches of the Pacific coast. Community Life provides, for a nominal fee, transportation, appropriate gear for the adventure and most of the food.

Future planned Outdoor Adventures for this semester will include a day outing to Snow Valley and a Pacific coast beach to snowboard and surf on the same day. There is also a camping trip planned to Big Sur.

Students at California Baptist University jot down their dreams while reflecting on the Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech at an MLK tribute held at Stamps Courtyard on Jan. 16.

 

CBU students remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream

With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech booming in the background, California Baptist University students lined up to write down their dreams on a large display in honor of the late minister and civil rights activist.

Community Life at CBU hosted a Dream event in Stamps Courtyard on Jan. 16. King dreamed big, said George Martin, director of cultural and commuter programs.

“His dream might have seemed impossible at the time, but look what has happened since then,” Martin said. “We want our students to dream big about their own lives.”

Alisa Molina, a business sophomore, said that she recognizes King as a catalyst for social change.

“Even though we still have ways to go with race relations in our country, I believe that King Jr. is responsible for a lot of the progress we’ve made,” Molina said.

Kaitlyn Alvarez, an early childhood studies junior, wrote down her dream, “Always show love and kindness to others.”

Alvarez said she views King as a person who had worthy dreams. His life was an inspirational one to follow, she added.

Community Life at CBU will be hosting several other events in the coming weeks to celebrate the life of not only King but also other African-American leaders.

On Jan. 26, there will be a Poetry Slam evening at Wallace Theater where poets or spoken word student artists at CBU will have an opportunity to reflect on influential leaders in their lives.

Additionally, on Feb. 8, CBU will kick off Black Heritage Month by hosting a Dream event at Innovators Auditorium where students will present in numerous artistic ways what King’s contributions to society have meant for them.

 

Architecture club makes strong showing at national competition

The National Organization of Minority Architects student chapter (NOMAS) at California Baptist University earned a fourth-place finish at a national design competition held in the fall 2017 semester.

The NOMAS chapter, in only its second year at CBU, featured seven team members who are either architecture undergrad or graduate students. The students took part in a design competition against 18 other NOMAS chapters across the U.S.

“Placing at the NOMAS national competition shows that our students are competing at the national level with highly established programs of architecture and demonstrating high levels of success,” said Dr. Matthew Niermann, associate dean of the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design at CBU.

The competition required teams to create a design for a school/community center set in Sunnyside, Texas. The project started in January 2017, when team members traveled to the Lone Star State to complete a site analysis. In the next phase, the team studied and researched architectural structures of buildings that have similar usage to the one they were conceptually designing. Then, over a period of several months, the students developed their design. The team sketched numerous concepts, debated the designs, made multiple revisions and finally used several software programs—including Autodesk Revit and various Adobe programs—to render a final version.

The students’ final concept revolved around the theme: come, stay and thrive.

The concept, which drives the design, was the hardest thing to develop, said Lettie Ramos, a graduate architecture student.

“We had to think, what’s important for this community? What is the goal for this community? What do we want to achieve with this project?” Ramos said.

In October, team members attended the NOMA conference in Houston, Texas, to present their design. They competed against universities such as Washington University, University of Buffalo and Cornell University.

Stephanie Vaz Ferreira, a graduate architecture student, said the coursework at CBU helped prepare her for the presentation.

“We often present in front of our professors and local architects when we do our individual projects,” Vaz Ferreira said. “It was rewarding to see I’ve been equipped well to present and do architecture.”

Ramos, who attended the previous year’s NOMA national conference, said that other schools and professionals at the 2016 national conference were curious to learn more about the architecture program at CBU. This year’s accomplishment continues to help elevate the CBU architecture program’s reputation, Ramos added.

 

Anthropology class examines cross-cultural views of medicine

Students at California Baptist University have a new opportunity to delve into cross-cultural views of human health with a course called Ethnomedicine (ANT320).

Offered for the first time at CBU this spring, the course covers the biomedical model (Western medicine) and compares and contrasts it with other ethnomedical models, said Dr. Ash Melika, associate professor of archaeology/anthropology.

Melika said the course aims to produce cultural sensitivity.

“Exposure to different cultures always creates awareness,” Melika said.

The course will additionally explore ethnographic materials that are used in Western and non-Western settings and how they are culturally shaped. Moreover, students will cover health issues pertaining to suffering, illness, death and life after death, Melika said.

Even in the Western world, people are interested in alternative medicine and other cultures are influencing the Western medical structure, Melika said.

“In California, I think it’s very important to be culturally aware, because we’re very diversified,” Melika said. “Becoming conscientious of the patient and how people view medicine and illnesses are important.”

Beyond cultural differences, there are also common human experiences that tie us all together, Melika added.

“Sometimes we emphasize the human differences, but the commonalities between human beings and shared experiences are also something that we should stress in order to look beyond cultural differences, and from a Christian point of view, see people as God’s image,” Melika said.

 

Teams form for spring intramural basketball season at CBU

Sign-ups for intramural men’s and women’s basketball are currently underway for the spring 2018 intramural sports schedule at California Baptist University.

Tyler Cox, director of recreation programs, anticipates close to 40 teams forming to compete in the several different basketball leagues offered at CBU. Additionally, CBU will have a co-ed soccer season and a Whiffle ball league offered later in the semester.

There will also be various day tournaments held through the spring semester for Spikeball, street hockey, bubble ball soccer and kickball.

“Intramural sports provide students an opportunity to connect with others who share similar interest.  It also gets them more connected to the university,” Cox said.

During the fall 2017 semester at CBU more than 1,000 students participated in intramural sports.

 

New students at CBU begin the spring 2018 semester

A steady rain welcomed freshmen and transfer students during the orientation activities at California Baptist University. But while wet outside, the weather did not dampen the excitement of starting a new chapter in life for the newest Lancers.

The students moved into residential facilities on Jan. 8. The next day they attended orientation sessions that covered topics such as the mission at CBU, an overview of student services, excelling academically and the numerous ways to get involved on campus. Later, students participated in the traditional Kugel Walk, a symbolic gesture of committing to a life of purpose as they begin their studies at CBU.

FOCUS groups – short for “First-Year Orientation & Christian University Success” – started on Jan. 9. The program helps acclimate students to campus life. These groups will provide continual support for students in their first semester at CBU.

The sessions and activities help the students become familiar with the campus, services and traditions, said Jay Stovall, director of new student programs.

“We make them feel connected by the programming,” Stovall said. “The programs connect them to the university by introducing them to resources, staff and other students.”

Classes began for the spring 2018 semester on Jan. 10.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science, co-authored a paper published in the Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer (Vol. 50, No. 6, 2017). The paper was titled Cation Exchange Capacity in Korean Soils Determined by the Copper(II) Acetate Spectrophotometry Method.

 

 

 

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, associate professor of environmental science, presented a poster at the International Academic Forum Conference on Energy, the Environment and Sustainability on Jan. 4 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The title of the poster was Finding Green Chemistry Synthesis Techniques Based on Stability, Transport, And Hydroponic Studies of Engineered Nanomaterials in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Greg Bowden, associate professor of education for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper at the Hawaii International Conference on Education Jan. 4-7 in Honolulu. The title of the study was Student Experiences of an Online Metacognitive Journaling Assignment. The study was co-authored by Dr. Cammy Purper, associate professor of education for Online and Professional Studies.

 

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, presented a poster at the Hawaii International Conference of Education Jan. 4 in Honolulu. The poster was titled Personal Branding Projects for Effective Communication in Online Education, which included best practices and findings from Pearson’s doctoral dissertation.

 

 

 

Dr. Thomas Schneider, assistant professor of English, had an essay published in the academic book The Passenger: Medieval Texts and Transits (Punctum Books, December 2017). The title of the essay was Chaucer’s Physics: Motion in The House of Fame.

 

 

 

 

Dr. William Boyer, assistant professor of kinesiology, presented research at the annual World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease on Nov. 29-Dec. 2 in Los Angeles. The poster was titled C–Reactive Protein and All-Cause Mortality in U.S. Adults: An Analysis of Gender and Race/Ethnicity NHANES 1999-2006. The abstract also was published in Endocrine Practice (Jan. 1, 2018).

 

 

 

Dr. Jeffrey Gage, professor of nursing, received an Appreciation and Fatherhood Award from Riverside Life Services, a nonprofit that serves women and couples facing unplanned pregnancies, for his research and volunteer service with fathers.

 

 

 

 

Mandy Themm, adjunct professor of education, was recently honored as an associate member of the Toledo, Belize District Education Centre for the development of literacy in the Toledo District in Belize. Themm has been going to Punta Gorda, Belize, since 2014, holding teacher/principal literacy training conferences and sending educational materials, school books and supplies and delivered to the village schools.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, assistant professor of psychology, published a peer-reviewed module and instructors’ materials for the Noba Project, a nonprofit educational organization. The title was Thinking Like a Psychological Scientist. She also wrote a blog announcing the piece for Noba.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joe Putulowski, assistant professor of business and marketing, and Dr. Robert Crosby, associate professor of psychology, both for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper at the 2018 International Conference on Business Jan. 2-5 in Orlando, Florida. The presentation was titled Marketing a Mental Health Care Specialization: The 4P’s of Play Therapy.

 

 

 

Nearly 100 new graduate students participated in the Spring 2018 Graduate School Kick Off on Jan. 5. Representatives from each graduate school office were present, including more than 60 staff and faculty members. To launch the event, students and faculty members gathered around the Kugel for prayer, followed by a dinner and presentation in the Innovators Auditorium where the students learned about CBU student culture and academic resources. The College of Engineering contributed 3D-printed models of the James Building bell tower for table centerpieces.

 

 

Thirty students in the Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2019 visited the Riverside County Coroner Forensic Center in Perris, California, on Jan. 12. They witnessed three autopsies and heard a presentation by a deputy of how homicides and deaths are investigated.

 

 

 

 

Victoria Brodie, visiting professor of public relations, spoke at the Pick Power Breakfast for the Pick Group of Young Professionals on Dec. 21 in Riverside. She spoke on the topic of aligning goals to encourage more authentic leadership. The Pick Group is a network of young professionals interested in engaging with and bettering their community while pursuing excellence in the workplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the College of Engineering, talked to the ninth- and 10^th- graders at the Western Center Academy in Hemet on Jan. 16. He spoke about biomimicry inspired sensors and opportunities in engineering and computer science.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Linn Carothers, professor of mathematics, presented at the Joint Mathematical Meetings of the American Mathematical Society and Mathematical Association of America on Jan. 10-13 in San Diego. The title was Youth @ Risk: Data Mining A Longitudinal Cohort to Predict Patterns of Family Instability and Crime.

 

 

 

Dr. Sanggon Nam, associate professor of public health, and Dr. Marshare Penny, associate professor of public health, presented at the Riverside County Health Coalition general membership meeting on Jan. 17 in Moreno Valley. Nam presented on An Aging Nation & Older Mexican Americans Health, and Penny presented The Persistent Care of Health Disparities: From Birth to End of Life.

 

 

 

The office of Mobilization is holding a blood drive fundraiser for the ISP teams going overseas this summer. Every donation earns Mobilization $15. Appointments may be made for Jan. 24 and Jan. 25.

 

 

 

Kaitlyn Lamb (’16), international admissions specialist, and Steven Wu (’15) were married Dec. 17 in Fallbrook, California.

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Shibley, audio visual services manager for Conferences and Events, and his wife, Amanda, welcomed a daughter on Dec. 9. Lorelai Shibley weighed 6 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 19.5 inches long.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates