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Current News
CBU concludes 2021 summer commencement ceremonies
California Baptist University wrapped up two days of celebration this week for the summer 2021 commencement ceremonies. Students received praise and encouragement in front of friends and family members during three ceremonies in the Events Center on Aug. 18-19.
Combined applications for graduation for summer 2021 commencement ceremonies included 17 candidates for doctoral degrees, 608 for master’s degrees and 376 for bachelor’s degrees for a total of 1,001 applicants.
In the commencement address, Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of California Baptist University, congratulated the graduates on their academic achievements.
“Each of these graduating students has arrived at this point because of a shared commitment to the challenging yet rewarding endeavor of higher education,” Ellis said. “The Board of Trustees, administrators, faculty and staff members join to celebrate and honor the exceptional efforts each of you has made to earn your degree.”
Ellis acknowledged the challenges the students faced during the pandemic.
“It would be difficult to argue the fact that we are celebrating an exceptional group of graduates –– not only for California Baptist University, but for all time. For more than a year, the very definition of normal repeatedly has been reshaped and redefined as you adapted in real time,” Ellis said. “Through the sacrifices you made, your true character was exemplified, and the relentless pursuit of your educational goals was steadfast. You manifested what it means to Live Your Purpose.®”
Jelaiya Jacob, who earned a Bachelor of Computer Science, wants to go into the video game industry. She said she struggled through many classes, but the engineering faculty believed in her.
“I found myself growing curious about their belief in me, so I was determined to find the person that they saw in me,” Jacob said. “I was afraid of more failure, but I had a new mindset that wanted me to at least try. I’m sure that God knew I had the strength to persevere through college all along, but I guess it took some failure for me to realize that.”
Victoria Lenahan earned a Master of Business Administration through the Division of Online and Professional Studies. She currently works for a school district but wants to work for a nonprofit in the future.
“I think CBU gave me a direction on how I can use my talents to help other people,” Lenahan said. “My faith has always been strong, but CBU gave me more of an insight to knowing there is a plan.”
Joshua Maddox earned a Bachelor in in Music for Worship Arts and Ministry and will be going on to The Los Angeles Recording School. He said CBU provided the opportunity to network professionally, build his confidence as a musician and deepen his faith.
“CBU definitely has prepared me for the music industry by creating an environment that allows its students to work with each other cohesively, tackling new problems and creating solutions for a better tomorrow,” Maddox said.
Master’s hooding ceremonies celebrate students’ achievements
Hundreds of master’s degree candidates at California Baptist University celebrated their academic achievements at hooding ceremonies, leading up to commencement ceremonies Aug. 18-19.
More than 600 master’s degree candidates and 17 doctoral candidates were eligible to participate in the summer commencements. At CBU, colleges and schools hold individual hooding ceremonies to recognize their candidates and also give students their distinctive colored hoods to wear at their commencement ceremony.
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences had the largest group of master’s candidates with 93. The Bonnie G. Metcalf School of Education had the second largest group with 84 candidates. Additionally, the Online and Professional Studies division had more than 200 candidates throughout its various programs.
At the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences hooding ceremony, held Aug. 17 at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the college, told the graduates they were crossing from students to professionals.
“Over these last years as a student, you have worked very hard. You’ve studied, completed field assignments and grown in knowledge and skill. And if we have done our job well, you have also developed in professionalism and personal character,” Gustafson said. “The world needs your competence, your passion, your grit and your faith in believing what cannot yet be seen. Go and be great.”
Dr. Kristin Mauldin, director of the sport and performance psychology program, reminded the graduates that the Lord would be with them.
“Go forward with courage. Courage to face your fears, to feel the feelings that arise, to take risks and to step boldly. Keep your eyes on the Lord knowing He will guide your steps and correct your path. He will give you the resources that you need to do His will and will be there to hold you and your loved ones in His loving embrace,” Mauldin said.
Hailey Dirksen, who earned a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, wants to be a marriage and family therapist. She said CBU’s Christian environment and professors helped shaped her worldview and her role as a counselor.
“I do have a purpose here on earth and that God will use me no matter what gives me peace and confidence in who I am and who I was created to be,” Dirksen said.
Eric Gonzalez, who earned a Master of Science in Sport and Performance Psychology, will be a soccer coach at University of California, Riverside. He said he was soul searching during the pandemic and wanted to come out of it with something useful when he found the program at CBU.
“It definitely helped me, helped shape me. With everything going on, it helped provide some positives in my life,” Gonzalez said. “With all the courses and all the internship hours it gave me that experience to be ready to make that next jump forward.”
Distinguished students ring in commencement ceremonies
Approximately 1,000 students at California Baptist University were eligible to participate in three summer commencement ceremonies on Aug. 18-19. In keeping with a CBU tradition, each ceremony began with the ringing of a bell.
Each toll of the bell represents one decade of the university’s existence. The bell rang seven times at each of the ceremonies to commemorate more than seven decades of academic excellence. CBU was established in 1950.
In keeping with another aspect of the tradition, graduates from among the highest-ranking students were chosen to ring the bell.
Areli Medina, who received a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Digital Media, rang the bell for the 2 p.m. ceremony on Aug. 18. Alyssa Harman, a Master of Business Administration candidate, rang the bell at the 9:30 a.m. ceremony on Aug. 19. Areli Rodriguez, a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences candidate, did so at the 2 p.m. Aug. 19 ceremony.
Medina said she was surprised when she first learned she had been chosen as a bell ringer.
“There are so many great students at CBU, and I’m sure there are others who are just as eligible to do this; so I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity,” Medina said.
Balancing school, work and personal responsibilities was not an easy task, Medina said, but she had already pushed off getting her degree many times in the past.
“By the grace of God, I was able to persevere and get to where I am now. My biggest success is that I am now accomplishing something I had prayed for so long about,” Medina said.
She is grateful for how CBU integrates faith into the courses and challenges students to build their lives and careers on the word of God, she said.
“My faith grew in an unexplainable way and, overall, CBU helped me put the puzzle pieces together of understanding where God wants to take me with this accomplishment,” Medina said.
Rodriguez said her goal was to finish her degree with a 4.0 GPA, which she did.
“There were times I would be stressed, tired and didn’t have the motivation to keep on going but I remembered my goal and most importantly that I had the Lord guiding me along the way,” Rodriguez said.
She plans to attend medical school and then return to Riverside County to work.
“Being taught by outstanding professors and faculty challenged me to grow academically and spiritually,” Rodriguez said. “As I continue on my academic journey, I will be faced with many challenges but despite all the hurdles and bumps I may endure, I will continue to follow what God’s purpose is for me.”
Harman said doing remote instruction was more challenging than she expected because there are more distractions at home than in a classroom. However, she accomplished it.
“My biggest success is simply graduating with my MBA,” Harman said. “After my BA, I told myself that I was done with school. However, I decided that grad school was the right choice for me, and I jumped right into the program.”
Harman earned an MBA with a concentration in healthcare administration. She wants to use her degree to help grow the small psychology practice where she works in Fullerton, California.
“CBU has shaped me by providing excellent role models for me and my future career. Professors were amazing at providing advice from their experiences in their respective fields,” Harman said. “For me, this meant that I received invaluable advice and connections in business and healthcare administration.”
Master of Architecture program receives 8-year accreditation
The architecture program at California Baptist University has received continuing accreditation for eight years from the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).
The Master of Architecture program received its initial three-year accreditation in 2018.
The NAAB accreditation provides a foundation for a consistently growing program, said Keelan Kaiser, program director of architecture in the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD).
“The eight-year term gives us an opportunity to do another round of long-range planning and introspection as to who we are and where we think we can go,” Kaiser said. “We have new faculty who have helped round out the department and will lead the program forward.”
For the accreditation, the program had to complete a self study and undergo a site visit, which was virtual this spring, to ensure it met the 26 student-learning criteria, Kaiser said. The criteria include having the right number of faculty, providing facilities conducive to architecture studio education and culture, and demonstrating continuous improvement of the program.
The CBU program is different from other architecture programs in a few ways. It is an accelerated five-year master’s program. There are only about a dozen of those programs available, Kaiser said. Plus, the CBU program will have approximately 200 students this fall.
“We have a smaller community, and people know each other and have better opportunities for fellowship,” Kaiser said.
CBU has the highest license exam pass rate of California schools, Kaiser said. Additionally, the program cares for the student and emphasizes the importance of spiritual development.
“We frequently have conversations with students about more than just architecture. We’re serving students coming with a lot of different backgrounds and aspirations,” Kaiser said. “Some conversations are spiritual conversations, some are almost parental, and others are almost on a peer level. It’s all very rewarding from my perspective. It’s great to be able to pour into the kids’ lives in that way.”
Mark Roberson, dean of CAVAD, started the program in fall 2012. He said he remembered thinking ahead to the day when the program would receive full accreditation.
“That day seemed like a long way away. But now we have arrived as a fully accredited program, having been awarded the maximum eight-year term at our first opportunity. It is a sign of the overall development and maturity of the program at this point,” Roberson said. “We have made so much progress. We have a rapidly growing student population, top-notch faculty, nationally award-winning students, and an awesome facility.”
Family Updates
Dr. John Park
Dr. John Park, assistant professor of psychology, and Kerri Anderson, a Doctor of Psychology student, presented a poster session at the American Psychological Association Convention on Aug. 12-14. The session was titled Motivational and psychological processes of sex workers.
Megan Sais
Megan Sais, graduate admissions counselor/recruiter, served as a panelist at the GAP SNAC Training on July 29. The panel did a Q&A for new graduate and adult admissions counselors. GAP (Graduate, Adult, Professional Studies & Seminary) is part of North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals (NACCAP).
Dr. Erin Smith
Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, presented at the ASA (American Scientific Affiliation) annual meeting on July 29-Aug. 1. Smith’s presentation was titled Leveraging Psychological Science to Improve Science-Faith Communication.
Dr. Thomas Jernejcic
Dr. Thomas Jernejcic, associate professor of computer information technology for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper at the 2021 Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) held virtually on Aug. 9. The paper was titled The Role of Privacy within the Realm of Healthcare Wearables’ Acceptance and Use.
Dr. Anthony Chute
Dr. Anthony Chute, professor of church history, contributed a chapter in Make Disciples of All Nations: A History of Southern Baptist International Missions, edited by John Massey, Mike Morris and Madison Grace (July 2021). The chapter is titled Growth and Controversy: The Administration of Henry Allen Tupper, 1872-1893.
Dr. Mark Kling
Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom
Dr. Mark Kling, associate professor of criminal justice, and Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, associate professor of public administration, both for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in the PA Times on July 16. It was titled Homicides, Assaults and Shoplifting: Can Police Departments Address the Rising Crime Alone?
Dr. Effat Zeidan Hatoum
Dr. Effat Zeidan Hatoum, assistant professor of general education for Online and Professional Studies, participated at the ASA (American Scientific Affiliation) annual meeting on July 29-Aug. 1. She moderated the Education and Science Literacy sessions and presented A Faith-Based Approach in Honoring Students in Distant Science and Math Classes. Additionally, she presented at the ISTE21 (International Society for Technology in Education) Conference on June 29. It was titled Let’s Explore Science and the Very Tiny Scale: The Nanoscale!
Dr. Adele Harrison
Dr. Adele Harrison, professor of finance, presented at the Wall Street Journal’s first virtual Instructor Conference on July 22. Her presentation was titled Incorporating The Wall Street Journal into Courses.
Dr. Monica O’Rourke
Dr. Gaynell Vanderslice
Dr. Mary Ann Pearson
Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, Dr. Gaynell Vanderslice, assistant professor of business management, and Dr. Monica O’Rourke, professor of kinesiology, presented a national webinar with the Public Relations Society of America on Aug. 12. It was titled Strategies for Challenging Communication and Instructional Situations.
Dr. Ed Garrett
Dr. Ed Garrett, associate professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, was the invited guest speaker at the Cajon Joint Unified School District’s Coaches Clinic on Aug. 14. His topic was Coaching Mental Health.
Personnel Updates
