May 17, 2019

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Orientation prepares new students for fall semester

Hundreds of incoming freshmen at California Baptist University took advantage of the first New Student Orientation event for the 2019 fall semester on May 13.

Throughout the day, students attended information sessions on student services, financial aid and CBU’s mission and purpose. The students also had the opportunity to register for classes and receive their student ID card.

More than 250 students attended the event.

The day benefits both students and their parents, said Jay Stovall, director of new student programs.

“The purpose of New Student Orientation is to register students for their classes and expose them to the culture and resources offered to them in this transition. We want them to feel confident in the decision they are making,” Stovall said. “For parents, it shows them what type of university they are sending their students to and our hope is that they experience the love, care and quality that not only they, but their students will experience throughout their CBU journey.”

Reagan Alley, a pre-nursing major from Riverside, said she chose CBU for the vibrant campus life and the Christian atmosphere.

“Today confirmed my decision. It cleared up a lot of unknowns—who to talk to for financial aid, where to go for my classes,” Alley said. “I’m looking forward to getting involved in different clubs and meeting new people.”

“Orientation takes a lot of the unknown out of the equation,” her mom, Debra Alley, said. “I’m very happy she’s coming here. I think it’s a good path for her.”

Victoria Bucy, a resident of Lake Elsinore, California, who is pursuing a civil engineering degree, said she is excited to attend classes in the engineering building.

“I liked the feeling I got when I first walked on campus,” Bucy said of her decision in choosing CBU. “I liked how homey it felt.”

Ariana Sedillo, an interior design major from San Bernardino, California, said she chose CBU for the friendly atmosphere and the opportunity to grow in her faith. She said she appreciated the help given when registering for classes during orientation.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of a club, meeting new people and going to chapel,” Sedillo said. “I’m planning on being busy.”

Her dad, Jeff Sedillo, said Ariana took her time in deciding where to go for college.

“After seeing and listening to everything today, I feel confident in her decision to come here,” Jeff Sedillo said.

Orientation will be offered seven more times for first-time students and four orientation events are tailored for transfer students before the start of the fall semester. For more information on New Student Orientation please click here.

Students who live more than 250 miles away have the option of participating in an Online Orientation.

 

Distinguished faculty and employee of the year honored

California Baptist University honored two outstanding faculty members and the 2019 employee of the year on May 2 during the annual faculty and staff awards banquet.

The CBU Board of Trustees each year selects the Distinguished Professor and Distinguished Scholar award recipients.

Dr. Nicole MacDonald, professor of athletic training, was named the Distinguished Professor, given to a faculty member who has established an impressive record of service to CBU.

MacDonald is also the chair of the allied health professions department and the founding director of the Master of Science in Athletic Training program at CBU.

Dr. David Pearson, dean of the College of Health Science, said MacDonald has influenced the kinesiology curriculum in a positive direction.

“Dr. MacDonald managed to craft what would become the premier athletic training education program in the region and arguably one of the very best in the nation,” Pearson said. “As the founding and lone director, Nicole has directly orchestrated the MSAT program at CBU as it has become the model for curriculum, clinical experiences, inter-professional education and practical scholarship that many other higher education institutions have replicated.”

Dr. Jinxiang Xi, associate professor of bioengineering in the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, was named Distinguished Scholar of the Year. Xi was honored for a research proposal titled “Deciphering Exhaled Aerosol Fingerprints, Open a New Door to Lung Diagnosis and Treatment.” The study will focus on how to detect early signs of lung diseases through studying the pathology of airways found in lungs. Xi has 16 years of research experience in cardiovascular respiratory systems.

Xi said that there is geometry in a way airflow travels in a person’s lungs.

“Each airway has a signature aerosol fingerprint which resembles an actual human fingerprint,” Xi said. “This proposed study is a perfect example of the coexistence of simplicity and delicacy of God’s creation.”

“This project typifies the kind of scholarly research that this award is intended to recognize,” said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president.

Greta Anderson, assistant director of undergraduate admissions, recruiting and outreach, received the 2019 Employee of the Year award. CBU’s Executive Council selects the Employee of the Year recipient from among staff members chosen as employee of the month during the academic year. Any CBU employee may submit a nomination for employee of the month to that nominee’s supervisor.

Ellis noted that Anderson had trained and prepared six admissions counselors during a span of a month who all went on to be successful in their recruitment efforts.

The fall 2018 semester at CBU set a record with 10,486 students, an increase of 5.5 percent over the previous year.

 

Master of Architecture program achieves initial accreditation

The Master of Architecture program at California Baptist University has received its initial accreditation by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

“The accreditation is a great milestone,” said Keelan Kaiser, program director of architecture in the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD). “Being accredited means the students are now eligible to take their licensing exams to earn national certification and acquire their license in any state.”

The program had to complete a series of tasks to obtain accreditation including completing a self-study that identified standards such as human, physical, and financial resources, in addition to having defined and established learning outcomes, Kaiser said.

Kaiser indicated that CAVAD, during its self-study, also had to identify what differentiates the program from others.

“The primary difference is that it is housed in a faith-based university,” Kaiser said. “We’re one of a small cohort of architecture schools in a faith-based university.”

Other distinct characteristics for the master’s program include smaller class sizes—the program will have approximately 150 students for the fall 2019 semester—and it is located within a populous area with a large number of architecture offices and commercial firms without other architecture programs nearby, Kaiser said.

Another requirement for accreditation was a benchmark of graduating its first class before the accreditation visit, Kaiser noted. The first Master of Architecture class graduated in May 2018.

Victor Robles, a graduate architecture student, said it means a lot to him to have the program accredited.

“The architecture program at CBU has offered many learning opportunities from networking to great projects that are highly accepted and liked by professionals,” Robles said. “Thanks to the close relationship that our professors provide, I have been able to produce work that speaks highly of the school in my opinion.”

The accreditation, which is for three years, is significant for the program, said Mark Roberson, dean of the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design.

“We achieved initial accreditation at the earliest point possible for a new program such as ours,” Roberson said. “NAAB accreditation establishes CBU Architecture as a legitimate, recognized program that can now compete on even footing with the other programs in our region and across the country. This represents the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people, as well as a great deal of support from the university.”

 

Volunteer count tops 5,000 for global service projects

California Baptist University hosted a celebration for surpassing 5,000-plus International Service Project (ISP) volunteers on May 5 at the Kugel located in the Ronald L. and Jane Dowden Ellis Great Commission Plaza.

This year marks the 23rd year of Mobilization efforts at CBU.

Per CBU tradition, before an ISP team’s departure, students, along with their family and friends gather to pray at the Kugel, a globe that rests on a base with the scripture from Matthew 28:19-20 etched in stone.

Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of CBU, emphasized that CBU is a Great Commission university.

“CBU is a university committed to the Great Commission and the ISP projects are a way to actualize this calling,” Ellis said. “What is etched in the Kugel is who we are.”

This summer, nearly 300 volunteers, comprising 35 teams, will serve in 25 countries. Seven teams will depart from CBU as part of its first wave of volunteers up until May 6 en route to Southeast Asia, Poland, South Africa and Eastern Europe.

The teams will conduct theater and sports camps, assist in health care practices and seek to create culture interactions.

Jeff Lewis, director of Mobilization, said that he prays that the students will be able to have many conversations about the Gospel message.

Participants received more than 75 hours of training to prepare for service opportunities, including an “Intensive Training Weekend” that simulates situations to engage in service and gospel conversations.

ISP students will serve on three types of teams, depending on previous ISP experience and their time commitment. Encounter teams are open to all participants who serve up to three weeks. Engagement teams go for three weeks, and Immersion teams serve for eight weeks. The latter two teams are only for returning ISP students.

Andreas Coppedge-Calderon, an electrical and computer engineering junior, was identified as the 5,000th ISP participant. His team is going to Southeast Asia to conduct basketball camps and play games against local college teams.

“I read God’s word and it tells me to go and preach the Gospel to the world,” Coppedge-Calderon said. “I’ve never deliberately done that, so here at CBU I decided to dive into the ISP program. I’ve learned through my training that God will use my story to help others.”

 

Family Updates

Jeannette Russell, administrative manager for the College of Nursing, received an Outstanding Service award from the American Association College of Nursing and Business Officers of Nursing Schools on April 26. The award was recognition for her work as secretary 2017-19 for the Business Officers of Nursing Schools.

 

 

 

 

Keelan Kaiser, professor of architecture, was elected as vice president/president elect, 2019-20, for the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The AIA Inland California chapter serves Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

 

 

 

 

Amber Andrade, assistant registrar for transcript and records for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the California College Records and Admissions Officers Annual Meeting in San Diego on April 29. The presentation was titled TES-ting the Waters of Transfer Technology.

 

 

 

 

Mary Ann Stahovich, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, presented at the PAEA (Physician Assistant Education Association) Virtual Physician Assistant Fair on April 9. She talked about the background of PA school, CBU’s PA program, and the application process for PA graduate school.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Seung-Jae Kim, professor of bioengineering, had a journal paper published in Human Movement Science (August 2019). The paper was titled Gait symmetric adaptation: Comparing effects of implicit visual distortion versus split-belt treadmill on aftereffects of adapted step length symmetry.

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, contributed to a feature on 2019’s Best Airlines at Wallet Hub (May 2, 2019). It was titled Ask the Experts.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Dennis K. Bideshi, professor of biology, and Dr. Hyun-Woo Park, professor of biology, gave a presentation at the 2019 Spring International Conference of the Korean Society of Applied Entomology in Cheongju, Korea, on April 25. It was titled Improvement of the recombinant Bacillus thuringiensis strain producing the Cyt1A-BinA chimera by combining with Cry11B.

 

 

 

Dr. Debra Coleman, assistant professor of nursing, and three CBU nursing students participated during Career Day at Liberty Elementary School in Riverside on April 26. They gave an overview of the nursing profession and answered questions.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Soojin Chung, assistant professor of intercultural studies, spoke at the University of California, Los Angeles, Center for Korean Studies on April 26. Her talk was titled What Americans Left Behind: Christian Adoption and US-Korea Relations, 1945–55.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joe Way, director of multimedia services for Information Technology Services, was featured in an article for Commercial Integrator (April 2019) titled Tech End Users Know More About AV Systems Than Integrators Think They Do. He also co-taught a global webinar for Audinate titled How to Secure and Scale Your Networked AV System with Dante Domain Manager. Additionally, he was a guest on The AV Life Podcast titled Living the Higher Ed AV Life.

 

 

 

Dr. Keanon Alderson, professor of management, co-published a research study in The Journal of Family Business Management (January 2019).The article was titled Contributions and Constraints to Continuity in Mexican American Family Firms.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, associate professor of public administration for Online and Professional Studies, presented two papers at the Western Social Science Conference in San Diego on April 25-27. The titles were Political Economies & the Role of the Voluntary Sector and Comparing Voluntary Practices in the Former Soviet Union with Free Market & Blended Economies.

 

 

 

Dr. Tanya Harris, adjunct professor of public administration for Online and Professional Studies, spoke at the Employee Engagement seminar in Riverside on April 25. The presentation was titled Employee Engagement and the Power of Six Syllables.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ed Garrett, associate professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to the kinesiology department at Chaffey College on May 6. His talk was titled Mind and Body – Connecting the cognitive to the kinesthetic.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Lisa Bursch, associate professor of nursing, Dr. Dayna Herrera, associate professor of nursing, and Dr. Rebecca Meyer, associate professor of nursing, presented at the Sixth World Congress on Nursing & Healthcare in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on April 24. The presentation was titled Educational Strategies for Health Promotion on the Global Level.

 

 

 

 

CBU’s Marketing and Communication Division received two first-place awards from the 55^th annual Baptist Communicators Association Awards Competition on April 12. The wins were in video promotion, more than 5 minutes, for Dr. Paul and Annie Kienel, Leadership Institute, and video promotion, 2-5 minutes, Community Life.

 

 

Dr. Susan Jetton, assistant professor of nursing, and Dr. Terri Thompson, assistant professor of nursing, presented a poster at the 20^th Annual Evidenced-Based Practice and Nursing Research: Sustaining the Nurses Conference in Loma Linda on May 9. It was titled Student Directed High-Risk Scenarios: An Innovative Teaching Strategy. Additionally, Thompson presented a poster titled Preconception Health Education and the Impact on Maternal-Newborn Health.

 

 

 

 

The Dazed Starling, CBU’s literary journal, was released on April 24. The journal was edited and published by students enrolled Literary Journal Editing and Publishing (ENG 431) taught by Dr. Erika Travis, associate professor of English and behavioral sciences. Also at this event, graduating creative writing majors read excerpts from their senior capstone projects and the creative writing awards were given to Anndrea Scroggins who won first place in fiction; Megan McGaughey who won first prize in poetry; and Sonia Robertson who won first prize in nonfiction.

 

 

Dr. Juliann Perdue, professor of nursing, presented two posters at the 20^th Annual Nursing Evidence-based Practice & Research Conference in Loma Linda on May 9. The posters were titled Finding Meaning: Using Therapy Dogs in Nursing Education and Innovative Prelicensure Curriculum Using Animal-Assisted Interventions. The latter received a third place award.

 

 

 

Dr. Gary Moore, adjunct professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, had a book, Living with the Earth (fourth edition), receive an award for Outstanding Revised Textbook in Engineering from publisher Taylor & Francis Group.

 

 

 

Dr. John Marselus, professor of aviation science, co-led the inaugural Missionary Aviation Leadership Summit in Waxhaw, N.C., on May 15. The topics included Missiological Reflection of Partnership in the Gospel; Operational Level Planning from the Military Decision Making Process; and Current Work/Collaboration to date. In attendance were the presidents and vice presidents of the four largest missionary aviation organizations in the world: Mission Aviation Fellowship International, Mission Aviation Fellowship US, Ethnos 360 and Jungle Aviation And Radio Service.

 

 

Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, and Dr. Darla Donaldson, associate professor of finance and social entrepreneurship, welcomed their first grandchild on April 5. James Walton Canales IV weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 21 inches. His parents are James (’14) and Deborah (’15) Canales.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Wayne Fletcher, associate provost for Academic Services, and his wife, Michelle, welcomed their third and fourth grandchildren. Cooper Rodney Fletcher was born Feb. 22, weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 19 inches. His parents are Brandon and Hailey Fletcher. Jack Nolan Ballard was born March 27, weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 20 inches. His parents are Patrick and Ashley Ballard.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erika Travis, associate professor of English and behavioral sciences, and her husband, Jeffrey (’03), welcomed their fourth child on May 2. Luke Cornelius Keith Travis weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 20 inches. He joins Anna, 12, Adam, 9, and Elizabeth, 6.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates