In this issue…
Current News
Chemical engineering students gain on-the-job training in labs
Dr. Mario Oyanader, professor of chemical engineering at California Baptist University, views the labs he supervises as opportunities for students to gain real-world experience.
“If we didn’t have the equipment, our students would not be better prepared to execute certain skills or abilities on the job,” Oyanader said. “They have a better picture by having this initial training with us.”
In 2015, CBU received a $250,000 grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation for the chemical engineering department within the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering to purchase equipment in the field of sustainability and health technologies. The equipment helps students learn sustainable technology processes such as CO2 removal, reverse osmosis, fuel cells technology and water purification.
“The equipment re-emphasizes things that we teach in the classroom,” said Dr. Mark Anklam, professor of chemical engineering. “It allows the students to have the hands-on aspect for the course, so it’s not just theoretical.”
Genaro Gonzalez, a chemical engineering senior, said he appreciates training on the absorption unit, which dissolves carbon dioxide into water.
“Learning the process on paper is half the knowledge,” said Gonzalez, who plans to pursue a career related to water quality conservation after graduation. “Once we have to physically turn valves, adjust flow rates, calibrate devices, take data and interpret it. That is where absorption really became clear in my mind.”
Sarah Hrovat, a chemical engineering senior, intends to pursue a career in pharmaceutical productions.
“The [lab] equipment helps us understand the theory and concepts applied to analyzing chemical techniques,” Hrovat said. “In class we had diagrams, but being able to go into lab helped even more.”
Anklam said he hopes the skills acquired in the labs will prepare students to help others.
“The equipment is allowing us to tie the fundamentals to things that the students are passionate about—the environment, energy, human health,” Anklam said. “That’s why they’re in engineering, because they want to go, make a difference and help people.”
CBU Athletics announces partnership with Adidas
Athletics at California Baptist University has entered into a multi-year deal with Adidas that will serve as the official athletic footwear, apparel and accessory brand for the Lancers.
“The Lancer family is excited to partner with Adidas,” said Dr. Micah Parker, director of Athletics at CBU. “It’s important that our student-athletes are provided with the very best in apparel and shoes. They have committed to help us in our transition to (NCAA) Division I, and we were thrilled they wanted to be a part of what we are growing in the Inland Empire.”
Read the full story here.
CBU delegation visits Sias International University in China
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU President, attended an Honor Guard welcoming ceremony at Sias International University May 25 in Zhengzhou, China. The ceremony included the raising of the flag of California Baptist University, accompanied by the Sias Marching Band. Ellis and Dr. Shawn Chen, chairman of the Board of Sias, reviewed the guard and spoke during the event. Ellis also was a featured speaker during Sias’ 2018 homecoming celebration.
Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Ellis recalled his first visit to the private Chinese university in 2009 and said he saw the future of international education at Sias. Upon returning, he said he observed even more progress toward the vision of what international education can be. He voiced support for the partnership between California Baptist University and Sias and said he looks forward to a long-lasting relationship between the two universities.
Chen, who founded Sias in 1998, presided over the ceremony and
welcomed the visiting delegation from CBU. He said cooperation between the two universities is very important to Sias and that he was looking forward to more results from this relationship in the future.
The CBU delegation also included Dr. Mark Wyatt, vice president for marketing and communication; Dr. Larry Linamen, vice president for global initiatives; Dr. Shasha Zheng, professor of nutrition; and Belinda Bai and Sarah Bai, members of the CBU International Admissions Office.
Ellis and Wyatt also participated in the 1st Inaugural International Education Summit, Zhengdong New District held May 24-25 in Zhengzhou.
CBU chemistry professor’s tenure spans decades
Dr. L. Alan Fossett, a California Baptist University faculty member, fondly remembers his first day on the job more than 30 years ago. Driving in his Ford Escort hatchback, he pulled onto Palm Drive and proceeded to park behind the James Building.
“All of the departments were housed in the James Building then,” recalled Fossett. “There was also a cafeteria in the basement of James, what is now James West.”
Fossett accepted a position as a professor of chemistry at then California Baptist College, a title he holds to this day. Fossett is one of the longest tenured professors at CBU. Fossett said he is living his purpose each day on campus.
“I was a junior in high school when I started to believe that teaching chemistry is what I wanted to do with my life,” Fossett said. “CBU is a great place to work, that’s why I am still here. There are good folks here, good people who are dedicated to each other and Christ.”
Fossett got his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Northwest Nazarene College in 1982 and his doctoral in chemistry from the University of California, Davis in 1987. In 1986, he married his wife, Debbie; the couple grew up in the same church. They have two children, Shaun and Amy (’15). In 1988, he ended up at CBU; a path that he said had God’s purpose written all over it.
Fossett said that the first class he taught consisted of nine students. In contrast, during the spring 2018 semester he taught several lectures and labs with more than 100 students. Of the six offices that Fossett has occupied throughout the years, two of them do not exist anymore as they were converted into lab spaces. Back in 1988, Fossett had to share one lab with the entire science discipline. Today, there are four labs dedicated specifically for chemistry.
“I enjoy teaching students how chemistry is organized. As a teacher, I’m helping students to see how there is design in all of it,” Fossett said. “When you study elements there is an explanation for the way they behave.”
With a smile, Fossett said that L-Alanine is his favorite amino acid, as it closely resembles his name.
“Students are all different, all unique, each class can take you in different directions,” Fossett said in response to explaining his teaching style.
From Fossett’s perspective, the formula for growth at CBU is not a complex solution. It is a combination of offering programs that students need and key leadership from President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, who has brought in the right people to oversee and teach the programs, Fossett said.
“Technology has changed, new buildings and labs have emerged, but ultimately, I want to be a good steward and exercise appropriate care to the students I’ve been entrusted with at CBU,” Fossett said.
CBU communication recovery camp provides community
California Baptist University hosted its first speech-and-language-therapy camp on May 14. The camp was the first of six sessions that will take place in consecutive weeks until June 4. The camp is free and open to individuals seeking speech language recovery.
During a session on May 23, blank canvases with clean brushes and an array of paint options awaited camp participants at a group activity. As the participants followed step-by-step instructions on how to paint a sunflower, graduate students from California Baptist University offered guidance and encouragement along the way. The room was full of chatter as CBU students asked questions, encouraging the participants respond. For this group, the more talking the better.
“The camp helps people with serious communication disorders to come and experience community. That meets a really fundamental human need for connection,” said Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor and program director of communication disorders.
The Clinical Education Center at CBU organized the camp, with graduate students from the Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology providing individual and group therapy. The participants, mostly from the Inland Empire, are part of the Communication Recovery Group Riverside, which the center organizes.
Not being able to communicate can be isolating, Vickers said.
“In the group therapy setting of the camp, we’re providing an atmosphere where communication is the goal,” Vickers said. “That’s where the magic happens. People smiling at each other, who understand what it’s like when one can’t say a word.”
The participants also take part in various activities. These exercises provide another way to communicate and process mentally, said Dr. Danette Bonillo, director of the Clinical Education Center.
“You want to them to feel successful and to have positive communication experiences to the best of their ability,” Bonillo said.
Ultimately, the camp provides an opportunity to serve the underserved in the community, Bonillo said.
“It’s a culmination of service and volunteer opportunities,” Bonillo said. “We want to serve God through our talents.”
CBU to offer a Doctor of Psychology program
California Baptist University will usher in a new era of research with its Doctor of of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology program that will start in the fall 2018 semester.
The PsyD program at CBU is geared toward preparing students for a career as a licensed psychologist. Students will focus on using the science of clinical psychology to guide their professional work in addition to viewing the human condition through the lens of a Christian worldview.
Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at CBU, said the PsyD program was built on the solid foundation and legacy of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
“For more than 35 years, our college has equipped students to serve in the variety of complex behavioral issues that our communities face,” Gustafson said. “Through coursework, practicum training, a full-time internship, a clinical competency exam and an original dissertation project, doctoral students will develop the skills, attitudes, knowledge and behavior to serve a diverse public. We want our students to go out and impact the world with Christ-inspired care.”
All the programs in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences are positioned to offer high commitment to academics with an emphasis on culture and justice issues, Gustafson said. This means our college emphases helping the underserved and the most vulnerable people in society, she added.
“This focus attracts bright and gifted instructors who want to be a part of our mission,” Gustafson said. “The doctoral program will issue in a new era of research at the university and will help CBU to be an influential voice at the regional and national level for behavioral and social science discussions.”
The PsyD program will be the university’s fourth doctoral program. The College of Nursing at CBU offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice program and the division of Online and Professional Studies has doctoral programs in business administration and public administration.
CBU receives grant to archive history of Casa Blanca residents
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at California Baptist University was recently awarded a $13,000 grant by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). The funds will be used to document the oral history of elderly residents living in the Riverside neighborhood known as Casa Blanca.
CBU will work in connection with the CIC and the AARP Foundation on “The Legacy Project.” CBU is one of 22 institutions across the nation awarded the funds. CIC launched an initiative with support from the AARP Foundation in 2017 to encourage colleges to create or extend programs that seek to assist low-income older adults (ages 50 and older).
The Legacy Project will gather the senior residents’ oral histories, focusing on their cultural history, resiliency, faith and spirituality, said Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
“We hope this project provides a venue for seniors, many of them from Hispanic descent, to teach our students how to best serve them and their unique needs,” Gustafson said. “As we look at the rich culture and history of the residents of Casa Blanca, we hope to not only preserve this history but share it.”
The grant will allow the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences to provide 20 undergraduate students with a paid internship opportunity to work on this project. There will also be several spots available for students from the College of Architecture Visual Arts Design to help secure digital records of the conversations that take place.
“Undergraduate students who participate will not only gain valuable internship and research experience, but also expand their cultural competence and hopefully build meaningful relationships and connections,” Gustafson said. “Going forward, we also hope that the Legacy Project can extend to reach senior populations in other neighborhoods of Riverside and the surrounding Inland Empire.”
For more information on The Legacy Project or internship opportunities please contact Dr. Jennifer Costello.
Family Updates
Dr. Erin Smith
Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, presented a paper at the Canadian Scientific and Christian Affiliation Conference in Langley, British Columbia, May 11-14. The paper was titled It’s not just the content: Understanding person-level variables in the science-religion dialogue.
John Tavaglione, Riverside County supervisor, and Morgan Rither
Morgan Rither, adjunct professor of modern languages and literature, was honored by Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione (’87) on behalf of the county on May 14. She received a certificate of recognition in honor of her outstanding academic, professional and community accomplishments.
Dr. Keanon Alderson, professor of business, had a second edition of his book published. Alderson uses the book, Understanding the Family Business: The differences between family and non-family businesses (Business Expert Press, May 2018), in his family business management class.
From left: John Ashlock, senior civil engineer at County of Riverside, Transportation Department, and CBU students Tanya Gonzalez and Aaron Richter
Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, associate professor of civil engineering and construction management, and two CBU students attended the second round of student presentation competitions hosted by Riverside-San Bernardino Institute of Transportation Engineers on May 17. Students Tanya Gonzalez and Aaron Richter presented their civil engineering and construction management capstone design project—Adams Overpass Overhaul. They placed third in the competition.
Dr. Dan Wilson, professor of biblical studies, and Mike Bishop, director of the Career Center, and three CBU students were part of a team from The Grove Community Church in Riverside that spent two weeks in Uganda. The students—Johnny Tillman, Jackson Jaramillo and Mitch Peters—are all students in the School of Christian Ministries. The team provided training to leaders of churches in Sudanese refugee camps and spent time encouraging pastors in their church planting activities.
Jennifer Tronti
Jennifer Tronti, assistant professor of English, made a presentation at the Western Regional Conference on Christianity and Literature in Newberg, Oregon, April 13-15. The paper was titled ‘Refracted through those tears, those specific tears’: Ritual (Re)Vision in Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49. Tronti also participated in a poetry reading and a roundtable discussion about literary studies within higher education.
Dr. John Park
Dr. John Park, adjunct professor of psychology, presented a paper at the American Association of Behavioral Sciences in Las Vegas on April 21-23. His paper was titled Influence of Gender Role Attitude on Depression in Korean Employed Married Women: Focusing on the Differences Between Full-Time (FT) Workers and Part-Time (PT) Workers in South Korea.
Hector Jimenez
Hector Jimenez, assistant professor of music, spoke at the National Worship Leader Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, May 7-9. His presentations were titled Focus on the Goal: Finding the Key to Diversity and The Heart of the Church: Songwriting for Your Congregation.
Dr. Joe Way
Dr. Joe Way, director of multimedia services for Information and Technology Services, had several articles published recently. Time for a Victory Lap was published in Church Production Magazine (April 2018). Building Teams that Thrive without Us and Understanding the Mission were featured on the Church Production Magazine’s online devotional section.
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis and Lisa Schwartz
Lisa Schwartz, department secretary for Allied Health Professions, was named employee of the month for June. Her nomination included the following statements: “Lisa can always be counted on to be available and efficient in everything that you assign her. She is eager and extremely competent in completing the task beyond my expectations. Lisa is the face of the department being the first person someone sees when they enter. Students and faculty feel supported and heard when they ask her something.”
CBU Athletics will host more than 2,500 students for camps this summer. Faculty and staff members receive a 10 percent discount off of all athletic summer camps. To view a list of camps please visit www.cbulancers.com/camps or call 951-552-8283 to register your son or daughter today.
Personnel Updates
