April 4, 2019

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

“Barnum” brings the spectacle of the circus to Wallace Theatre

The theatre program at California Baptist University is bringing the razzle-dazzle and charm of P.T. Barnum to the Wallace Theatre stage, starting on April 5. Students performing as clowns, jugglers, tumblers and acrobats will help produce the circus atmosphere that Barnum is famous for creating.

“Barnum” looks at the legendary entertainer’s life before he formed his circus routine with James Bailey. The musical follows Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart’s score that includes “Join the Circus,” “The Colors of My Life” and “Come Follow the Band.”

A preshow routine before each performance will include clowns, stilt walkers and a card illusionist.

“It’s a circus. Every number is a big production number,” said Lisa Lyons, adjunct professor of theatre and the play’s director. “The audience should be entertained the whole way through.”

For the show, students learned numerous acrobatic stunts in addition to dancing and singing, Lyons said.

“If you aspire to be a performer in musical theatre, you can’t just be a singer anymore—you have to be a singer, dancer and actor. You have to be a triple threat,” Lyons said.

Ryan Lee, a communication studies sophomore, plays P.T. Barnum. From remembering all his lines to doing magic tricks and costume changes, Lee had to work on enhancing his multitasking performance skills.

“Our show is so unique in the fact that it is not just like any other musical. It’s a musical circus,” Lee said. “I hope the audience walks away in awe of the spectacle of our show.”

As part of the ensemble, Jamall Bradshaw, a criminal justice junior, tumbles, sings and dances throughout the show. Bradshaw said he knew how to tumble before, but for the show he had to get in better shape so he could do cartwheels and handsprings, and then sing afterward.

“In ‘Barnum’ I feel that I have learned to always push myself and be on top of it so the group as a whole looks good while performing, and we can put on a great show for our audience,” Bradshaw said. “I hope the audience gets so much joy from watching the show and really getting to see what the life of P.T. Barnum and circus was like.”

Samantha Schroll, a theatre major, plays Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind. For the role, she learned a few Swedish phrases and how to affect a Swedish accent.

“One thing that I’ve learned from the play is to have fun with even the small tasks of life. We can add color to anything,” Schroll said.

“Barnum”
When: April 5-6, April 11-13 at 7:30 p.m.; April 6, April 13 at 2 p.m.
Where: Wallace Theatre, California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA, 92504
Tickets or questions? Call the theatre box office at 951-343-4319 or email: mhyde@calbaptist.edu

 

Hundreds of volunteers participate in Spring Arbor Day

More than 200 students, faculty and staff participated in Spring Arbor Day at California Baptist University on March 30. Volunteers planted nine Cork Oak trees and three Poly Oak trees around the parking lots in front of the Eugene and Billie Yeager Center in addition to cleaning up areas around Diana Avenue and Monroe Street.

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science and advisor of the Environmental Science Club at CBU, has helped coordinate the event with Facilities and Planning Services over the past few years.

“I want to make our students recognize the importance of our environment, especially by planting trees,” Koo said.  “It is really important to educate students and let them know of the importance of taking care of our environment.”

Elizabeth Lacatus, a liberal studies senior, said she looks forward to watching the tree she planted grow.

“We put in a lot of hard work into planting the trees and we look forward to seeing them grow,” Lacatus said. “It is the same thing in our relationship with God. We put in a lot of work and at times it feels hard but then we grow in our relationship with God and we get to see fruit.”

Laura Pate, a liberal studies senior, noted the cultivating analogies used in the Bible to describe the Christian walk.

“You have to be planted in good soil in life to grow and the same is true with planting trees. Today, we had to make sure the trees were planted properly with the right amount of soil so the tree could survive,” Pate said.

Monica Velasco, an environmental science junior, enjoyed thinking about the shade the trees would bring during the hot summer days.

“I like how we are planting trees in the parking lots since there will be more shade, so my car won’t get that hot,” Velasco said.

Earlier this year, CBU earned a 2018 Tree Campus USA recognition. To obtain this distinction, CBU met the five core standards for sustainable campus forestry required by Tree Campus USA. The requirements comprise establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

 

Legacy project discussed at Culture and Justice Lecture Series

Hundreds of students from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at California Baptist University had the opportunity to learn about the history of a longstanding neighborhood in Riverside on March 28. Several presenters shared research from “The Legacy Project,” which aimed to record the oral history of elderly residents living in the neighborhood known as Casa Blanca.

Over the past several months, some 20 student interns, mostly from the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, worked in connection with the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the AARP Foundation on the “The Legacy Project.” CBU was awarded a $13,000 grant by the CIC in May 2018 to conduct the research.

For the project, students facilitated interviews, recorded each session and put together footage to display at the event.

Jennifer Costello, assistant professor of social work at CBU, said the goal of this project was to develop, strengthen and maintain relationships between CBU and the adults in the Casa Blanca community.

“Casa Blanca has a rich history and we also want to highlight and preserve this history through residents’ stories and experiences,” Costello told the audience.

During a roundtable discussion, several Casa Blanca residents in attendance had the opportunity to share their thoughts about their neighborhood.

“I can say a lot about Casa Blanca community, but three things could sum it up: we are family, we are neighbors and we are friends,” said Bob Garcia, a longtime resident of Casa Blanca.

Erin Orr, an anthropology senior and an intern for the project, said she felt welcomed into the community through the whole process.

“These people aren’t ashamed or afraid of their community and I really liked seeing that,” Orr said. “They could have said ‘we don’t want outsiders here,’ but they welcomed us instead.”

 

New ASCBU president aims to create collaborative environment

Lucas Mitose, healthcare administration junior, is the newly elected Associated Student of California Baptist University (ASCBU) president for the 2019-2020 academic year.

In his role, Mitose will oversee the ASCBU executive council, which is tasked with representing the student body at CBU on matters that enrich the undergraduate experience through service, collaboration and campus improvement.

Mitose credits his role as a resident advisor (RA) that made him venture out to try out bigger leadership roles at CBU.

“My favorite part about my job is building a community with guys where we can talk about our faith,” Mitose said. “I feel like you can grow a lot, especially in your freshman year. Helping the guys in my hall and watching them grow has been my favorite part.”

Christian Hassler, resident director at Smith Hall, said Mitose cares about people.

“He really does a good job connecting with other people. When people interact with him, they feel genuinely cared for and loved.” Hassler said. “He has a really deep heart for people.”

Giorvi Alvarez, a mechanical engineering freshman and a resident in Smith Hall, said he considers Mitose a role model.

“A few weeks ago, I was going through a rough patch in my life. I told him about it. He really helped me get through it.” Alvarez says. “I plan my life a little too much, and he told me, ‘Sometimes, you just have to leave it to God and see what happens.’ Hearing that from him made me realize that I should just relax and see what happens.”

Growing in his role as RA, made Mitose interested in exploring other leadership roles.

Mitose said that he was encouraged to run for ASCBU president.

“During the election, I had a lot of support. Knowing that the student body believes in me means a lot,” Mitose said.

As president, Mitose said his priority is to ensure everyone’s voice is heard.

“Every idea and complaint has substance and value. I want to create a warm environment for people to come up to me and tell me what is wrong. I’m willing to listen to them,” Mitose said.

Mitose also wants to be accessible to students in order to make an impact on their lives.

“My goal is also to be as sufficient as possible with the help of my executive council, to use our resources wisely and to advance student satisfaction,” Mitose said. “As president, I really hope people get a lot from what I do. I hope to be able to train and help the people who will be in this position as well, so they may run the council in the most efficient way possible.”

For Mitose, succeeding as the next ASCBU president can prepare him for his career pursuits of becoming a CEO of a hospital.

“I think our healthcare systems and healthcare in a lot of hospitals could be managed better,” Mitose says. “Hopefully, I could get the opportunity to be able to manage a hospital to the best of my ability.”

 

CBU students experience Iceland through an ecotour

Nick Vander Weide, a mechanical engineering junior at California Baptist University, experienced God’s creation in a new way over spring break. While touring Iceland, his group visited Skógafoss Falls. As his team approached the falls, the clouds split open, sunlight hit the water and a rainbow appeared.

“That singular moment was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed,” Vander Weide said. “It felt as if God was standing there, rubbed His hands together, said ‘check this out’ and pulled back the clouds. It was absolutely amazing.”

Vander Weide was part of a CBU group—two faculty, three parents and 12 students—who went to Iceland from March 17-22 on an ecotour led by Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science at CBU. The group visited places such as Gullfoss Falls, Sólheimajökull Glacier, Skógafoss Falls and the Blue Lagoon.

Koo said the purpose of expedition was to help the group appreciate the ecosystem and learn first-hand about renewable energy and geology of the planet.

“The emphasis was on the methods used to conserve energy and geology while developing the economy,” Koo said. “Students examined the methods used in Iceland by visiting national parks, research, agricultural and cultural facilities. They developed an understanding of how complex conservation can be.”

Sabrina Tamimi, an environmental science junior, said she appreciated the technology Iceland uses when it comes to renewable resources.

“The country is over 95 percent relying on geothermal and hydroelectric power,” Tamimi said. “We should take this into account when developing new ways on how to reduce our impact on the planet.”

For Koo, the highlight of the trip was visiting the Sólheimajökull Glacier.

“We explored water cauldrons and waterways of the glacier, which is almost 5 miles long. We saw the different shades of the glaciers – white ice, blue ice and just plain clear ice and drank 8,000-years-old glacier water,” Koo said.

 

Former U.S. ambassador urges students to be globally minded

Robin Renee Sanders, former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Congo (2002-2005), urged California Baptist University students to be aware of worldwide struggles on March 25.

Sanders is a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Scholar and also the CEO of FEEEDS Advocacy Initiative, a nonprofit organization that works on economic development, information communication technologies and Africa business strategies.

Sanders said that the international community has experienced progress in issues such as access to electricity, HIV prevention and maternal mortality.

“While there have been a lot of improvement on major issues, there is more work to be done,” Sanders said.

There are some issues that are not improving or even getting worse, she noted.

Sanders said there are millions more people facing starvation in the past three years. In addition, malaria continues to be on the rise throughout the world.

“I urge you to put down phones and look around at the world, start helping on local levels. But also listen to what’s going on, the world needs your help,” Sanders said.

Julia Morris, a nutrition and food science major, said the lecture opened her eyes to the struggles globally.

“Things we think are easy to solve in America are still very big problems around the world,” Morris said. “Being able to see it this way and in this context makes you think about ‘what could I do about the problems going on?’

“I think I need to be more globally aware. I was originally planning to come here [to CBU] and do my nutrition studies and maybe open my own clinic somewhere. But now after this lecture I’m thinking about the amount of people who need help on this large scale and I need to do my part.”

 

Family Updates

Daphne Kieling, International Center receptionist, was named employee of the month for April. Her nomination included the following statements: “Daphne understands the CBU student experience and goes above to ensure that the international students are not just merely serviced but that they are taking part in the campus community and getting involved. In addition, she is often found taking the time to connect with the students in a more meaningful way to go the extra mile.”

 

 

 

Dr. Ed Garrett, associate professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, and Mario Soto, adjunct professor of sport and performance psychology, taught at a coaches’ clinic for Riverside Unified School District on March 6 and 9. They taught about mental conditioning, communication and character development.

 

 

 

CLS Ferguson, adjunct professor of communication for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the pre-convention workshop for the Western States Communication Association Annual Conference in Seattle on Feb. 22. The title was Speechless: 30 Minute Prep for Evidence-Based Advocacy in an All-Deaf Public Presentation Class.

 

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor of communication disorders, presented to the Stroke and Brain Injury Support Group in Riverside on Feb. 20. Her presentation was titled Access to Reading and Phone Resources during Recovery.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, served as a perinatal mental health expert panelist at an Inland Empire Maternal Mental Health Collaborative event in Apple Valley, California, on March 13. The event included showing the documentary When the Bough Breaks, about postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, and a panel discussion.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Cammy Purper, associate professor of education for Online and Professional Studies, Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, and Dr. Julie Browning, professor of accounting for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the Advancing Women in Leadership Conference held at Vanguard University on March 19. Their topic was titled Authentic Informal Leadership, Stories from the Trenches.

 

 

 

 

Duncan Simcoe, professor of visual arts, and Steven Felix-Jager, adjunct professor of fine art, had artwork in an exhibition at the Progress Gallery in Pomona that ran through March 30. The exhibit was called Transparency.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Krystal Hays, assistant professor of social work, Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, and Jennifer Costello, assistant professor of social work, presented to Camp Agape mentees in Brea, California, on March 23. The title was Trauma Informed Mentorship: How to Work with Children Exposed to Trauma. Camp Agape is a camp for children with incarcerated parent(s).

 

 

 

Dr. Jane McGuire, professor of education, presented a workshop to the California Association of School Psychologists in San Mateo, California, on March 15. It was titled Fostering Resilience in High School Youth with Learning Disabilities through Self-Awareness, Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy Skill Building.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Knabb, associate professor of psychology, Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, and Dr. Robert Pate, associate professor of psychology, presented a seminar at the annual conference for the Christian Association for Psychological Studies in Dallas on March 21-23. The seminar was titled Setting your mind on things above: Shifting from trauma-based ruminations to ruminating on God. Vazquez also presented Racism, Marital Conflict, and Black-White Interracial Marriage: The Role of Religious/Spiritual Well-Being.

 

 

Dr. Seth Jenny, adjunct professor of health science for Online and Professional Studies, was the lead author of a paper published in the academic journal The Physical Educator (Volume 76, No. 2). It was titled Sport Management Majors’ Perceived Motivators and Barriers to Participation in a College-sponsored International Experience.

 

 

 

Dr. Natalie Winter, professor of marketing and management, spoke to My Staffing Coach’s Leadership Bootcamp in Anaheim on March 7. She spoke on the topic of leadership and self-awareness.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Lesley Mayne, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, Dr. Namhee Kim, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders, and Margaret Appenzeller, visiting professor of communication sciences and disorders, presented research at poster sessions at California Speech Language Hearing Association (CSHA) Annual Convention in Pasadena on March 15. Mayne and Kim presented Effect of Collaborative Graduate-Undergraduate Peer-Teaching on SLP Students Learning. Kim and Appenzeller presented Implementation of a short-term therapist training in China: Protocol, effects, and future directions. Kim co-presented Parental perspective on children’s play and its effect on language development. Additionally, Samantha Serna, graduate student of speech language pathology, received a student excellence award during a CSHA award ceremony.

 

 

 

 

Michael Osadchuk, coordinator of the Office of Student Success, and Pamela Jost, director of disability services, presented at the Association of Coaching and Tutoring Professionals National Conference in Orlando, Florida, on March 18. Their presentation was titled Re-imagining Student Success.

 

 

 

 

Dirk Dallas, assistant professor of graphic design, has photographic work featured in a new book titled My Tiny Atlas: Our World Through Your Eyes (March 26, 2019). The book is a collection of travel photos. Dallas’ work was taken in Huntington Beach, California.

 

 

 

Dr. Joe Way, director of multimedia services for Information Technology Services, gave the keynote address at the Midwest College and University AV Summit v6.0 in Winona, Minnesota, on March 15. The title was More Than Black Boxes: Developing a Customer Service Model to Impact People. Additionally, he was the higher ed representative to the PSNI (Professional Systems Network International) Global Alliance Supersummit and participated on the End User Panel in Atlanta on Feb. 21. He also was featured in Church Production Magazine in articles titled First Impression: Dante AV (February 2019) and Do You Need a Spiritual Spring Break? (March 2019).

 

 

Dr. Bob Namvar, professor of economics, had a paper published in the International Review of Business Research Papers (March 2019). It was titled A Recessionary U.S. Economy Will be a Surprise.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mi Kyung Han, assistant professor of computing, software and data sciences, served on a panel at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona, for the Women’s History Event on March 26. The panelists discussed on career management, career development and work-life integration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lauri Hauck, visiting professor of kinesiology, and Dr. Monica O’Rourke, professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) conference in Garden Grove, California, on Feb. 21-22. They presented in a panel discussion titled Teaching credential experiences: What to expect as a teaching candidate. Graduate student Joe Pacheco also participated in the panel, sharing his teaching experiences. O’Rourke and graduate student Keith Coury made a co-presentation titled Functional fitness and agility for the student population. O’Rourke is CAHPERD’s State future professional liaison and hosted the state future professional luncheon for more than 100 student teachers from across the state of California.

 

 

Personnel Updates