July 5, 2021

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU prepares for in-person instruction, campus activities

After nearly a year and a half of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, California Baptist University is preparing to welcome students back to campus this fall with a full range of academic and extracurricular programming.

“We are excited to resume a more normal campus experience for students and employees alike,” CBU President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis said July 1.

“The past 17 months have been challenging for everyone but thankfully we are seeing things similar to pre-pandemic conditions,” Ellis said.

The decision to resume in-person instruction this fall was announced in January based on the increasing availability of COVID-19 vaccinations. Since then, as the numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths have subsided, state and federal health officials have eased restrictions on public gatherings and lifted social distancing and face covering requirements for fully vaccinated individuals.

In addition to returning to in-person academic instruction this fall, Ellis said CBU also is preparing to welcome live audiences back to campus activities. These will include fine arts performances such as theater productions and musical concerts as well as intercollegiate athletics.

“The 2021-22 season marks the final year of CBU’s transition to full membership in NCAA Division I, so I know the Lancer Nation shares our excitement that fans once again will be able to attend CBU athletic events in person,” Ellis said. “I can’t wait to join thousands of fans cheering our Lancer teams as they continue building a winning legacy in the Western Athletic Conference.”

Ellis said CBU will stay on top of pandemic developments and employ best practices to ensure the return to live, in-person instruction and campus activities remain safe for CBU students, employees and visitors.

 

SAE club places 4th in Formula competition 

The temperature was not the only thing that was hot in Las Vegas for the Formula SAE International Competition.

In just its fifth year of racing, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) club from California Baptist University finished fourth overall in the competition held June 16-19. The Lancers placed ahead of all the other California schools and others such as Purdue University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Iowa State University.

“CBU students overcame not only the heat wave in Las Vegas but the extreme pressure of competing against the nation’s top schools in a grueling Formula SAE vehicle competition,” said Dr. Phil van Haaster, club advisor and department chair of aerospace, industrial and mechanical engineering.

With temperatures at 115 degrees, the schedule was adjusted to an earlier start time of 5:30 a.m. During the endurance event, where two drivers each drive the car for a total of 22 kilometers, it was 102 degrees.

“Even with the hot weather of Vegas, the car performed extremely well,” said Tyler Carlisle (’21), one of the four CBU drivers. “I am very proud of how well our team did at this year’s competition. I am very excited about where the club is currently and know next year’s car and team will be even stronger.”

Out of 36 teams, CBU was one of only seven to pass the technical inspection on the first day. The team worked on the car, known as Lancer 4, for two years since the last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic. However, the work was not done for the 15 members who attended the competition. During inspection, the team had to modify the exhaust in order to pass the noise test. Later, a part malfunctioned during the autocross event. A fix was made in time to allow the team to get back on the track.

Jordan Fabbrini, a mechanical engineering senior and the incoming president of the SAE club, described lessons he learned for next year’s car.

“Keep designs as simple as possible. Complex parts are difficult to try and fix or make and when it’s race day, you don’t have much time to fix the car,” Fabbrini said. “Our car is very competitive with the top schools. We just need to keep making fine adjustments and make sure to test the car as much as we can. Having extra testing this past year really boosted driver confidence.”

The SAE competition includes presentations on cost and design as well as dynamic events such as acceleration and autocross. The presentations were virtual earlier in the year. In design, CBU tied for 20th place out of 140 teams. In Las Vegas, the car placed fifth in endurance and third in efficiency, which is determined by how much fuel the vehicle uses in the endurance run.

“We are ecstatic about the results of the competition,” said Katie Mast (’21) club president and the design lead on the driver controls. “It has been an amazing week for the team as we have been able to witness the culmination of two years of hard work pay off. The team left even more excited about the development of Lancer 5.”

Fabbrini credits the team’s success to alumni who established the program.

“The team has had great guidance from our previous two presidents, Spencer Judy and Katie Mast,” Fabbrini said. “It’s quite an accomplishment for such a small school to be competing and beating out some of the very well-known and prestigious engineering universities.”

In their first competition in 2017, the Lancers placed 67th. In the following years, they placed 44th and 31st.

“I am very proud of our team and have high expectations for the graduated seniors entering industry as well as the advancing juniors taking over for next year,” van Haaster said. “When considering the engineering effort invested into building a competitive racing vehicle from scratch, this performance is truly remarkable.”

 

Orientation prepares new students for fall semester 

New incoming students attended New Student Orientation at California Baptist University on June 21 in preparation for the 2021 fall semester.

About 300 first-year and transfer students attended the event along with their parents.

Throughout the day, students and parents heard information about CBU’s purpose, housing, meal plans and financial aid. They also received a glimpse of the resources and experiences available on campus.

Daniel Garcia, assistant director of new student programs, said the orientation provided the incoming students an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of CBU from staff, faculty and current students.

“The purpose of NSO is for new students to learn more about CBU as an institution and how to navigate their journey as a student,” Garcia said. “Our hope is that this process will clearly outline their next steps and bring excitement and confidence as they prepare for the coming semester.”

Brycen McGowan, from Corona, California, chose CBU because of its engineering program. He plans to pursue mechanical engineering.

“I learned a lot about campus life and how seriously they take getting everyone connected not just with other students but also with the faculty members,” McGowan said. “I’m really excited to study my major, to dive in and learn.”

His mom, Jennifer McGowan, said the presentations reassured her that he is at the right place.

“It was great to hear the practical aspects of what’s available for them on campus. I loved all the apps that they have to make it really easy for students to get connected and know what’s going on,” Jennifer said. “The intentionality of their mission and their heart for this next generation, it’s just really encouraging.”

Tatiana Johnson, from Corona, will pursue biology. She acknowledged it is difficult for her to ask for help, but the presenters made her feel that it is OK to ask.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people and having a really good education and focusing on what I need to do in order to succeed in life,” Johnson said.

“I loved the resources that they have for the students,” her mom, Theresa Johnson, said. “She is able to go and talk with somebody and know that there are mentors here and other people to help her. She’s not alone.”

Sailor Boden, from Canyon Lake, California, will pursue business administration. She chose CBU because her brother goes here.

“I’m really excited to get started on my future and have things more geared to what I want to do as a career and have faith included in my education,” Boden said.

Orientation will be offered two more times before the start of the fall semester. Students who are unable to attend have the option to complete an online orientation. Go to New Student Orientation for more information.

 

Young Eagles event helps youths take flight

Zayanna Mejico, 11, was a little intimidated to go up in a small aircraft. That changed after participating at a Young Eagles event, sponsored by Experimental Aircraft Association and hosted by California Baptist University at the Riverside Municipal Airport on June 12.

“Flying in the plane was really awesome. I was actually nervous before flying in the plane, but now I want to learn to fly one myself,” Mejico said. “I have been in airplanes to go to different places, but it wasn’t this low where you can see everything.”

Experimental Aircraft Association aims to introduce children to aviation through its Young Eagles program. At the event, more than 20 youths ages 8-17 learned about planes, tried CBU’s aircraft simulators, and took a 20-minute plane ride.

Tyler Powell and Chris Salazar, both flight instructor II at CBU, were among the pilots who volunteered to provide flights. CBU students helped on the ground.

“It gives the opportunity for us pilots to show the younger generation the beauty of aviation and the passion we have for the industry,” Salazar said. “Maybe even inspiring them to one day become a pilot, whether professional or recreational.”

Powell said he got into aviation as a teenager when someone offered him a plane ride.

“Everyone thinks flying is standing in the security line at airport terminals. That’s far from the truth,” said Powell, coordinator for the local Young Eagles chapter. “It’s cool to see what aviation is.”

Andy Manriquez, 17, a graduate of Avery Downey High School, was excited to participate.

“I was already familiar with flying in a plane, but it was my first time flying in a small low-wing aircraft, which was fun,” Manriquez said. “I want to get as much experience as I can flying, because I want to get my private pilot’s license in the future.”

Abraham Gustafson, 13 and a student at Riverside STEM Academy, said he enjoyed the experience.

“It was great getting to look out of the plane and learning how to fly,” Gustafson said. “I really got to see close up how the pilot flew the plane and how he would turn.”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Elisa Shepard, associate professor of psychology, Dr. Dirk Davis, associate vice president of academics, and Dr. Robert Shields, assistant professor of computer information technology, all for Online and Professional Studies, co-presented a poster virtually at the 2021 UPCEA Annual Conference on April 8. It was titled Examining a Teaching Assistant Model for Online Courses.

 

 

Christopher Kern, assistant professor of photography, served as a judge and portfolio reviewer for the 2021 Photography Spring Show at his alma mater, Academy of Art University – San Francisco, on May 20.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Carol Minton-Ryan, professor of sociology, had a book review published in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (June 2021). She reviewed Jessica Johnson’s In search of gender justice: rights and relationships in matrilineal Malawi.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Rodriguez, assistant professor of music theory and composition, had musical compositions accepted to The American Prize competition. He is a finalist in three categories: Chamber Music, Band and Orchestral.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Robert Crosby, associate professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, published a paper in a special issue of the Journal for Prevention and Intervention in the Community. The paper was titled The effect of socially supportive church ministry on children’s prosocial behaviour: An experimental study of Latin American Protestant Congregations. Dr. Krystal Hays, assistant professor of psychology, was the issue’s guest editor.

 

Dr. Tim Gramling, dean of the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business, gave a sermon at the Second Birth Church of Riverside on June 13. It was titled Some Questions for God: We choose, God is in control, and together we conquer.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Shawn Wilhite, associate professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the North American Patristics Society conference on May 24-28. The title of the presentation was He divides his narrative between two seasons: ΚΑΙΡΟΣ as an Exegetical Rule in Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria. He also served as the conference program manager.

 

 

 

Dr. John Park, assistant professor of psychology, and Sarah Weber, a Doctor of Psychology student, presented a lecture session at the American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences conference on June 14-15. It was titled The role of religious and spiritual leaders in the provision of suicide interventions. He also co-wrote a paper in the Journal of Behavioral and Social Sciences (December 2020). It 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.

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, served as project manager and principal investigator for the University Aviation Association in its 2021 Employment Survey of collegiate aviation faculty nationwide. Findings related to tenure, promotion, workload and salary levels are used by aviation programs as an industry benchmark.

 

 

 

Dr. Raquel Ellis, assistant professor of social work, has been appointed as a reviewer for the Journal on Social Work Education. She will serve three years.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mark Anklam, professor of chemical engineering and bioengineering, presented at the 95^th ACS Colloid and Surface Science Symposium on June 15. The title was Adsorption of Phenols on Surfactant-Modified Ion Exchange Resins. The presentation was co-authored by Nathanael Hovda, a chemical engineering student.

 

 

 

Gary Steward, adjunct professor of history for Online and Professional Studies, published a book titled Justifying Revolution: The American Clergy’s Argument for Political Resistance, 1750-1776 (Oxford University Press, June 2021).

 

 

 

Dr. Thomas Jernejcic, associate professor of computer information technology, successfully defended his dissertation on March 29. He earned for a Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems from Dakota State University. The title of his dissertation was The Role of Privacy within the Realm of Healthcare Wearables’ Acceptance and Use.

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, professor of kinesiology, presented at the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure, and Sport Studies Conference in Nashville on June 13-16. The title was Christian love, sexual health & sexual integrity: The climate among college-aged students.

 

 

 

 

The sons of Teresa Sheets, administrative assistant I, and Elizabeth Romo, administrative assistant for enrollment services, both for Online and Professional Studies, graduated from Ramona High School on May 24. Hayden Sheets and Christian Romo will be attending CBU in the fall.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates