October 15, 2021

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU theatre program back on stage with ‘Silent Sky’

After being closed for more than 18 months because of the pandemic, the curtain will go up this week in the Wallace Theatre at California Baptist University. “Silent Sky” opens the theatre program’s 2021-22 season.

“Silent Sky” is based on the true story of Henrietta Leavitt and the women who worked at the Harvard Observatory at the turn of the 20^th century. The women were tasked with charting the stars for male astronomers. Leavitt’s research eventually led to astronomers being able to measure the distance to faraway galaxies, informing the work of Edwin Hubble and others. While a brilliant, determined pioneer, she must fight for recognition in the man’s world of turn-of-the-century astronomy.

“It’s a play about a woman kind of being held back by her society in her times,” said Frank Mihelich, associate professor of theatre and director of the play.

The play, published in 2015, was written by Lauren Gunderson, one of the most-produced playwrights in America. The storyline deals with a timely topic, Mihelich said.

“How do we engage in healthy ways in this wider conversation that we’re having around gender? I think living in the wake of the Me Too movement, debate can be done in a healthy way, and it can be done in a destructive way. I think we as Christians can model a healthy way,” Mihelich said.

The stage at CBU was not quiet the entire time of the pandemic. The theatre program produced two productions that it filmed for streaming. But Mihelich said he hopes audience members will feel comfortable coming back.

“I was hoping when [the shutdown] was all done, that theatres would explode because people just want to be around other people,” Mihelich said. “What makes theatre theatre is the in-personness of it.”

Jolene Automo, a theatre senior who plays Henrietta Leavitt, said it has been fun to be back with friends rehearsing and preparing for a show.

“Being the first in-person production after COVID, I am just so excited to feel that adrenaline rush that comes with live performance,” Automo said.

She also said she hopes the audience members will learn something from the play.

“If the audience only takes one thing out of the performance, [I hope] it’s to keep dreaming and not allow obstacles to stop you from wondering what else is out there,” Automo said.

Michael Cohen, a theatre sophomore, plays Peter Shaw, Henrietta’s love interest and fellow astronomer.

“Lauren Gunderson is a beautiful playwright and to do a piece of her work has taught me how precious words and human thought are,” Cohen said.

Cohen said he cannot wait to see people back in the theatre.

“Being the first performance back in the Wallace with a live audience has brought me so much joy and excitement in the idea we can start to tell stories of beautiful people and ideas,” Cohen said. “I hope audiences walk away with a sense of family, love and reliability. These characters show us what we want to do with our dreams and goals in life.”

When: Oct. 15-16, Oct. 21-23 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 16 and 23 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

 

Lecturer talks about equality for women in leadership 

Men and women have God-given qualities that they should be allowed to use to bless others, regardless of their gender, Dr. Heather Williams told an audience at California Baptist University on Oct. 12.

“God would not have given you gifts, talents and strengths for you not to use them,” she said.

Williams spoke at the Dr. Paul and Annie Kienel Leadership Institute’s Leadership Seminar Series. She talked about the barriers women face in management positions and how men and women can work toward equality. Williams is the executive director of personnel services at the Riverside County Office of Education and the human resources president of the Association of California School Administrators.

The lecture began with statistics regarding differences between the numbers of men and women in leadership positions. In 2019, 40% of businesses were owned by women; in Fortune 500 companies, there are only 41 female CEOs, or about 8%. For every 100 men who get promoted to entry-level management positions, 79 women get promoted.

“Think manager, think man,” Williams said, adding that when people think of police officers, CEOs or others in a position of power, people think of men.

Williams advised women to step out of the office and engage with male coworkers at social events like lunch and sports games to make themselves visible, despite many women’s natural tendency to choose to work through lunch breaks and other gatherings.

“There’s no award for ‘Overworked Female of the Year,’” she said.

Williams recommended that women seek out mentors with integrity and skill in their industry to help develop their own skills.

“Being a mentor increases your network, too,” she said.

Mothers are frequently assumed to be less dedicated and capable leaders because they have children, Williams said. She said that mothers can both hold management positions and parent their children. She did it herself as a single mother of two who also raised her nephew, all while getting her doctorate.

There are several things men can do to promote equality in the workplace: calling out the derogatory language used to describe female leaders, supporting the women around them, and considering whether they would want their sisters or daughters to be treated the way they see other women treated, Williams advised.

“Men, don’t just say stuff, do stuff,” she said.

 

Team wins physician assistant challenge bowl for fourth time 

CBU students Neil Soriano (from left), Philip Pytak and Ryan Van Liew competed in the California Academy of Physician Assistants Student Challenge Bowl.

Riverside, Calif. (Oct. 13, 2021) – Students in the physician assistant studies graduate program at California Baptist University were faced with this question: A 4-year-old boy is diagnosed with viral rhinitis. What is the most common cause of viral rhinitis?

That was the final question the team of CBU students answered to win the California Academy of Physician Assistants (CAPA) Student Challenge Bowl on Oct. 9. (The answer: rhinovirus.)

This is the fourth time in five years that CBU students won the event.

Students in CBU’s physician assistant studies graduate program made up one of 12 teams competing in the CAPA bowl. In the final round, CBU faced Chapman University and Loma Linda University and came out on top.

“This win continues the exciting recognition for CBU and our PA program,” said Mary Ann Stahovich, assistant professor of physician assistant studies. “This award is all the more remarkable since students learned these concepts in the midst of the pandemic last year. Their win speaks to both the program’s deep determination to optimize student education coupled with the student’s keen abilities and perseverance.”

The event took place virtually again this year. The teams had to wait for the entire question to be read and then buzz in fast enough to answer it first. Teams scored 100 points for each correct answer and lost 100 for each incorrect one.

Neil Soriano, Philip Pytak and Ryan Van Liew made up the CBU team. Last month each was in a different clinical rotation. With each studying for their respective end-of-rotation exam, they took a divide and conquer strategy preparing for the event.

“I learned that I still have so much to learn! I also learned that my professors weren’t kidding when they would stress an important topic throughout our didactic year—‘You’ll want to remember this.’ They were definitely right about many topics we encountered,” Van Liew said.

“Even though I held myself responsible for knowing as much content as I could, I learned to recognize my own limitations and have faith in my teammates,” Pytak said. “I can’t and won’t always know everything, but I can rely on others just as much as I can help them in order to achieve something greater than any of us alone.”

Soriano said a big challenge during the event was the buzzer.

“Making sure to avoid buzzing in early at the risk of getting penalized while still trying to buzz in before the other team was an added layer of stress,” Soriano said.

Van Liew said another challenge was the ambiguity in some of the questions.

“We couldn’t always be sure of which answer they might be looking for. For this reason, we chose not to answer several questions to avoid penalty,” Van Liew said.

With CBU’s record in the CAPA bowl, the team members said their main goal was not to be eliminated in the first round.

“We felt immense pressure. We wanted to avoid disappointing our program and our cohort,” Soriano said. “After passing the first round, we were all relieved that we accomplished our goal. Winning was icing on the cake!”

“I am grateful for the trust and support of our professors and classmates,” Pytak said. “They had more confidence in us than we may have had in ourselves. I remember watching CBU’s team last year and being impressed with their extensive knowledge, so it feels surreal to now be part of the winning team this year.”

 

Fletcher Jones Foundation Endowed Professor is named

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, has been named the Fletcher Jones Foundation Endowed Professor of Research at California Baptist University.

“I am excited by the opportunities this position presents and humbled by the support of the university in selecting me to help shape CBU’s research culture,” Smith said.

The professorship is funded with a $600,000 grant from the Fletcher Jones Foundation. CBU matched this with institutional funds as part of the endowment matching program, creating a $1.2 million permanent endowment.

“CBU is incredibly grateful for the gift,” said Dr. Charles Sands, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

The professor role will involve leadership, administrative and academic responsibilities, including: providing leadership in cultivating a culture of research and scholarship at CBU; and developing and enacting strategies and programs to enhance the research environment and opportunities in the university.

Sands said Smith fit the role with her experience as director of research for the Center for the Study of Human Behavior within the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences and by representing CBU in scholarly forums on science and religion.

“Dr. Smith has an extensive background in the areas of research and scholarship. She will provide leadership in cultivating a culture of research and scholarship at CBU,” Sands said.

Smith started teaching at CBU 10 years ago and became director of research for the Center for the Study of Human Behavior five years ago.

“In many ways, my tasks as the Fletcher Jones Endowed Professor of Research will be an extension of what I have started in the CSHB—helping faculty with their next steps in research,” Smith said. “However, this position will afford me a different vantage point of faculty expertise across the campus. I hope that this campus-eye view will be fruitful in the cultivation and flourishing of important multidisciplinary work to address some of the most pressing issues facing our culture.”

Smith said CBU is well-poised to pursue meaningful multidisciplinary research.

“I’m looking forward to being in a position where I can support faculty as they engage research in pursuit of their calling—their purpose—and I’m looking forward to seeing how the research at CBU might be leveraged in new and exciting ways for God’s glory,” Smith said.

 

Author lectures on the revival dimension in ministry 

Speaking on the ministry of the gospel, Dr. Ray Ortlund asked California Baptist University audience members, “is there a revival dimension in your ministry?”

“The Bible calls [revival] times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,” Ortlund said. “I believe that God loves to give new beginnings that we don’t deserve and we cannot cause. We in our weakness, we in our failure, we in our impasse are met by God with new mercies.”

Ortlund is the president of Renewal Ministries and a council member of The Gospel Coalition. He also served as lead pastor at Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and is the author of multiple books. He spoke as part of the School of Christian Ministries Lecture Series at CBU on Sept. 28.

Quoting theologian J. I. Packer, Ortlund urged audience members not to neglect the revival dimension in their ministry. He also expounded on Psalm 85, which says in verse 6, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

“I define revival as the ordinary ministry of the gospel under extraordinary divine power, liberating believers and compelling the attention of the world,” he said.

Ortlund said he believes ministry flows in two ways. The first is the ordinary yet powerful and fruitful gospel ministry. The second is God giving the privilege of extraordinary ministry, called revival.

“Revival is the normal ministry of the gospel just going into warp speed,” Ortlund said. “Revival is not a matter of us being superior. Revival is God himself coming down and pushing the fast-forward button.”

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary ministry is not a different kind of power but in the degree of power, Ortlund said.

“We’re always on this ministry continuum of amazingness,” Ortlund said. “Revival is when God, for his own glory, moves us along the continuum of amazingness into astonishing amazingness. He comes upon us and upon our churches and our ministries, so that our churches accomplish in three months what we thought would require 30 years.”

God is able to surprise us, Ortlund said. He is able not only to bless our work, but He is able to take up the work in His own hands so He alone gets the glory.

“What we see all over the Bible from cover to cover is God simply being God to us. Involving but outperforming us,” Ortlund said. “The Bible is the story of our weakness, our need, our inadequacy, our defeat met by the life-giving mercies of God.”

Ortlund told the students in the audience that revival is for them.

“You have no right to settle for a vision of your life that is inconsequential. Jesus did not die and rise again for you not to matter,” Ortlund said. “The risen Christ is upon you. All these promises are yours. Go get it.”

 

Lancer community glad to return to campus life

When classes at California Baptist University were being delivered mostly by remote instruction, Ellie Dickerson, a film senior, missed the community. Back on campus now, Dickerson said she appreciates participating in campus events and connecting with her professors and peers in a more personal way.

“Both these things are very relationally based, but that is truly what CBU is about. It’s not the campus or buildings that define a school. It is the people and the experiences that shape a university experience,” Dickerson said.

“I am most looking forward to attending the Christmas Tree Lighting and Yule. I’ve always loved the Christmas Tree Lighting and the joy it brings to the student body amidst the stress of finals,” she added. “I have yet to attend Yule during my time at CBU, so I am ecstatic to experience that for the first time.”

Staff members in student services offices are excited for students to be back on campus after being gone for almost 18 months due to the pandemic.

“They are the reason we love doing what we do and bring so much life to the campus,” said Kristin Holderman, director of Community Life. “I think that is true across campus, but especially in our area where we strive to enhance their experience through quality events and programs.”

Community Life is bringing back some favorite traditions such as TWIRP (The Woman Is Required to Pay), Merry & Bright, and Yule. It also plans to have the monthly Commuter Sidewalk Cafes, student clubs programming, and cultural celebrations.

“We hope to bring back programming that is familiar but as with everything during these times we will make any and all adjustments that are necessary to program excellently while abiding by university recommendations,” Holderman said.

Students also are busy playing intramurals. CBU Recreation is offering both esports and in-person sports, such as beach volleyball, flag football, and outdoor basketball this fall, said Tyler Cox, senior director of Campus Recreation.

“As much as the students missed participating in different recreation events, we missed putting them on,” Cox said. “We are looking forward to students being able to make connections on the intramural field, court, or through other recreational programming.”

Chapel started the semester online, with services produced as they were last year. But Spiritual Life is hopeful conditions will allow for in-person at some point, said Dr. John Montgomery, dean of Spiritual Life. Spiritual Life is holding other in-person events, such as SL Night, which offers a message on discipleship, and SL Groups, like a Bible study.

“We are looking forward to connecting with students in person. We spent a lot of time on Zoom last year, but as everyone has discovered, it is just not the same as face-to-face interactions,” Montgomery said.

Scott Rydelski, a theatre and comedic arts senior, said he appreciates that live events from theatre to sports are coming back to campus.

“Watching our volleyball and basketball teams play is one of my favorite activities to do on campus and it’s one of my favorite ways that our campus comes together,” Rydelski said.

While Christian Semon, a civil engineering senior, lived on campus last year and had in-person labs, he said it was not the same with few students on campus.

“I love that everyone is back, and it seems like everyone is more appreciative of being at a campus like CBU,” Semon said. “I am looking forward most to intramurals and sports with fans being back. Sports are not the same on TV. Being able to experience the Events Center or Van Dyne Gym with students cheering on basketball or volleyball is really special.”

Hannah Tudor, a public relations junior, said she is looking forward to events such as Midnight Madness and Festival of Colors.

“These events bring us together as a Lancer Nation,” Tudor said. “I really appreciate the CBU community. Waking up each day and getting to walk around a lively campus helps me be more productive.”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Joshua Rodriguez, assistant professor of music theory and composition, had a musical composition awarded Honorable Mention by The American Prize in the Composition Band/Wind Professional Division. His piece was called TIKAL.

 

 

 

 

Emily Anderson (’19) was featured in AdvisorSmith, an online resource for business insurance. Anderson, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science, talked about CBU and being in the actuarial science program.

 

 

 

 

Clayton Fowler (’21) is the first actuarial science major at CBU to pass two actuarial examinations by his graduation year. He passed the Financial Mathematics exam (Exam FM) in February and the Probability exam (Exam P) in July, both being administered by the Society of Actuaries. Students must pass seven exams to attain the first actuarial designation of Associate from either of the leading actuarial societies (Society of Actuaries and Casualty Actuarial Society).

 

Dr. S. Jeannette Guignard, associate professor of organizational leadership for Online and Professional Studies, spoke at the Mindfulness Expo in Anaheim on Sept. 25. She talked on Mindful Leadership: Mindfulness Principles to Navigate Workplace Challenges.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Dayna Herrera, professor of nursing, and Dr. Jolene Dickert, professor of athletic training, virtually presented research at the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Summit 2021 on Sept. 27. It was titled Interprofessional Large Scale Disaster Response; A Virtual Learning Event.

 

 

 

Dr. Robert Pate, professor of psychology, presented at the American Association of Christian Counselors Global Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Sept. 16. It was titled Utilizing Digital Media and Clinical Skills to Ethically Market Your Practice.

 

 

 

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 Sept. 15. It was titled Defunding School Police Officers: A Back-to-School Experiment.

 

 

 

Dr. Melissa Croteau, professor of film studies, published an essay in The Shakespeare Newsletter (vol. 69) titled Trespassing on Sacred Ground: The Politics of Religion in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool (2003). She also published a scholarly review of The Old Globe Theatre’s 2020 staging of Romeo and Juliet in the journal Shakespeare Bulletin (vol. 38). Additionally, she participated at the 2021 World Shakespeare Congress held virtually in July. She served as lead convenor of the seminar Women and the ‘Feminine’ in Shakespearean Screen and Visual Media.

 

 

 

Dr. Rick Ardito, associate professor of accounting for Online and Professional Studies, published a children’s book titled The Ten Dollar Tooth. It introduces children to the concept of supply and demand.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, had a paper published in a special issue of the journal Scientia et Fides (Aug. 8, 2021). The paper is titled A tale of two perspectives: How psychology and neuroscience contribute to understanding personhood.

 

 

 

Dr. Sandra Romo, associate professor of communication, Dr. Thomas Schneider, associate professor of English, Dr. Joe Slunaker, assistant professor of Christian studies, and Dr. Effat Zeidan Hatoum, assistant professor of general education, all for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the National Social Science Association Conference in San Diego on Sept. 28. The presentation was titled Interdisciplinary, Collaborative, Required: It Takes a Pedagogical Village to Raise a Student.

 

 

 

Dr. Robert LaChausse, professor of public health sciences, is the producer and host of the Prevention Matters Podcast where he interviews the influential researchers, practitioners and federal policymakers working in the field of prevention science. The podcast is sponsored by the National Prevention Science Coalition, where LaChausse also serves on the board of directors.

 

 

Dr. Tim Gramling, dean of the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business, has been selected for the 2022 class of the Corona Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Leadership Roundtable. The class of business and education leaders will participate in a nine-month program, learning about the opportunities and challenges that face the region.

 

 

 

Dr. Shawn Wilhite, assistant professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, was interviewed for a podcast on New Books Network for his book The Didache: A Commentary.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joel Bigley, associate professor of business, had a book published. It is titled Leading at the Edge of Chaos (Scholars’ Press, August 2021).

 

 

 

 

Catherine Letherer, associate professor of physician assistant studies, co-wrote an article published in JAAPA, the national physician assistant journal. It is titled The Watchman device for preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (October 2021).

 

 

 

 

Gabriel Estrada, visiting professor of Old Testament, Marcia Gay, assistant professor of nursing, Benjamin Sanders, assistant professor of computer science, and Dr. Ted Murcray, associate professor of education, virtually presented research at the SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) Summit Conference on Oct. 7. The presentation was titled Did They Learn It Here?: Using effect size to measure student learning.

 

Adrian Quezada, an aviation flight major, and Jay Villasenor, director of Veterans Resource Center, attended a townhall meeting with Secretary of Veteran Affairs Denis McDonough and Congressman Mark Takano in Riverside on Oct. 6. Quezada spoke with McDonough and Takano about his experiences in CBU’s Department of Aviation Science and the opportunity to obtain aviation ratings. Quezada, who was a member of the U.S. Air Force, has worked in CBU’s aviation maintenance shop and been hired as a pilot for Dynamic Aviation.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Pedro Caro, assistant professor of school counseling, presented a session at the virtual Riverside County School Counselor Leadership Network on Sept. 30. The session was titled The New CTC School Counseling Standards: A School District Approach to Implementation. Gurleen Kaur, Sevie Dhillon and Jennifer Gonzalez, school counseling graduate students, assisted with the presentation.

 

 

Personnel Updates