February 8, 2022

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU honors renowned bassist with honorary doctorate degree

Music ensembles from California Baptist University filled a Corona church’s sanctuary on Feb. 5 with jazz music in celebration of Black History Month—and in honor of renowned bassist Marshall Hawkins.

During his career, Hawkins played with jazz performers such as Betty Gray, Shirley Horn and the Miles Davis Quartet. After years of touring, Hawkins focused his efforts on education. In 1988, Hawkins founded the jazz program at the Idyllwild Arts Academy. Currently, Hawkins teaches master classes for the CBU jazz program.

Midway through the concert at Northpoint Church, Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of CBU, awarded Hawkins with an honorary Doctor of Music Performance degree. Ellis spoke of Hawkins’ lifetime musical and educational achievements.

“The life and career of Marshall Hawkins reflects a strong work ethic and positive commitment to faith and serves as consistent with the values promoted by California Baptist University,” Ellis said.

“God is good all the time,” Hawkins said after receiving the honor.

The evening included Traivon Williams, adjunct professor of music, reading a poem by American author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou. The Marshall Hawkins Seahawk Modern Jazz Orchestra took center stage as it entertained with songs such as “When Sunny Gets Blue” by Marvin Fisher, and the black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The CBU Jazz Ensemble and Strings showcased their talent by performing songs such as “Jeeps Blues” by Duke Ellington, and “‘Round About Midnight” by Thelonious Monk.

Dan St. Marseille, associate director of bands for Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Music, spoke of how jazz compelled him at a young age and spoke to his soul.

“I know that jazz was the reason I am standing here today on this stage,” St. Marseille said. “The African American way of playing music infuses sounds of nature and personal experience into what you are doing, and hearing that through jazz music motivated me to become a musician.”

 

CBU students celebrate the Lunar New Year

Students at California Baptist University welcomed the Lunar New Year with martial arts demonstrations, music, a dragon and lion dance, and a variety of Asian foods on Feb. 3.

Lunar New Year is an event celebrated in many Asian cultures, said Courtney Watson, director of International Student Services.

“It’s an opportunity for us to showcase a culture that is widely represented here on campus,” Watson said.

The Lunar New Year began on Feb. 1 and the celebration of it continues into February.

Willow Beach, a psychology and music freshman, enjoyed the dragon and lion dance as well as the variety of snacks and boba tea offered.

“I was really interested in seeing CBU bring different cultures in and getting to experience cultures I haven’t really had experience with first-person,” Beach said.

Koichi Furusawa, a business administration junior from Japan, sang the Japanese song “Kanden,” which translates to “Electric Shock.” Japan does not celebrate Lunar New Year.

“It was a really good cultural exchange for me as an international student,” he said.

The event brings Asian and American students together, Watson said.

“Seeing our students who volunteer here and the ones that are performing … light up with excitement watching their American friends get excited about their culture is really heartwarming. That’s why we do what we do at the International Center,” Watson said.

 

Students moved as cleanup of downed tree begins

Aubree Bellanca, a liberal studies junior, was at her campus job on Feb. 2 when her roommates texted that a tree had fallen on their Lancer Arms apartment at California Baptist University.

“My roommates said it felt like a huge earthquake,” Bellanca said. “They heard the thundering snap, and they were scared for their lives from all of the shaking.”

High winds caused the 92-foot tree to snap and fall on the two-story building. Fifteen students, including Bellanca and her roommates, from six apartments were moved to other campus housing.

“Residence Life has been super helpful with moving us and getting the stuff we need because we can’t go in,” Bellanca said. “[They] said whatever we need, email them a list and they will get us our stuff as soon as they can.”

Cierra Sao, residence director of Lancer Arms, was in her office when she heard a loud crack, like thunder. A couple seconds later the building shook. She ran around the building and saw the tree had snapped and fallen.

“I ran upstairs, made sure those apartments that I could get to were clear, trying to get a head count of where everybody was and tried to make sure everyone was safe,” Sao said.

Only a few students were in their apartments that late morning and none were on the top floor, Sao said.

The following day she was busy gathering the students’ belongings for their move.

“We care deeply about them and will do our best to make sure their needs are taken care of,” Sao said.

Kent Dacus, vice president for Enrollment and Student Services, said staff is providing the students assistance where needed, whether contacting faculty about missing or late academic work because of the incident or replacing personal items that cannot currently be retrieved from the apartments.

“We are committed to helping each affected student work through this,” Dacus said. “All in all, we were very fortunate in the outcome we had. It could have easily been different with injuries or death. I really think we have built a culture of caring and taking care of our students. I think our staff and community is doing that.”

Facilities and Planning Services were still waiting to be able to enter all the units, said Brenda Flores, associate director of business administration for Facilities and Planning Services.

“It does look like it’s exterior damage only, that nothing actually went inside any of the units. It’s miraculous, but no windows were broken,” Flores said.

The tree also damaged the roof, but it only went into the attic not any units, Flores said.

BrightView, which CBU contracts for landscaping, is doing the tree removal.

To read a local news story about the incident, click here.

 

Ministry job fair provides students summer options

More than 30 employers filled the Stamps Courtyard at California Baptist University, eager to meet students and help them make plans for the upcoming summer.

The Summer Ministry and Job Fair presented on Feb. 2 by the CBU Career Center gave students opportunities to connect with employers to land internships and jobs in ministry.

Valerie Newbold, a nursing senior, wants to gain more experience in the nursing field over the summer to help her prepare for a career in the pediatric nursing field.

“The camp jobs are my favorite, and this fair is a great way to get information from all the camps at once,” Newbold said. “When I am a nurse, I want to go into pediatrics and this will give me great experience working with the kids.”

Megan Fryling of Frontier Ranch Youth Camp in Scotts Valley, California, discussed how students can take their skills and passions and put them into action through eight weeks at camp.

“I think the most beautiful part about working in a camping ministry is that no matter where people are gifted or passionate, it’s kind of this beautiful picture of the body of Christ and it all works and comes together,” Fryling said. “We are looking for a wide array of skills, and wherever people are passionate and gifted, we can find a job for them.”

Lisa Singer, director of the Career Center, encourages students to take every opportunity possible to network with employers.

“Employers attend for one reason, to hire CBU candidates,” Singer said. “In addition, these events serve [students] to network, gain industry experience, practice speaking with employers, and possibly gain an internship or career position.”

 

Aviation science enters agreement with Horizon Air

The Department of Aviation Science at California Baptist University recently signed an agreement with Horizon Air for a pilot development program.

CBU students accepted into the program will receive conditional offers of employment, funding for part of their flight training, and the opportunity to transition from a minor to major airline—in this case Horizon Air to Alaska Airlines.

“This is a whole new era for the aviation department at CBU,” said Dr. John Marselus, chair of the Department of Aviation Science.

The agreement came about after CBU earned its Air Agency Certificate as a Part 141 school last year. To achieve this, CBU was required to have dedicated training facilities, flight instructor oversight, and FAA-approved course curriculum. With the certification, CBU applied and received restricted ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) approval, which allows college graduates to be employed by the airlines with 1,000 flight hours instead of 1,500 hours.

CBU has similar agreements with regional airlines, but the certificate and ATP approval allows CBU to talk to “the big boys,” Marselus said.

“These two areas opened us up to an entirely new future of airline agreements,” Marselus said. “Others look at us and realize ‘These guys are serious. They have a professional flight training program and it’s been recognized by the FAA.’”

Students must complete their private pilot license flight training before applying for the program. Once accepted, students receive $5,000 after earning their instrument rating and $7,500 after earning their multi-commercial airplane license. Horizon will also provide mentors to help students prepare to be airline pilots.

CBU and Horizon Air are a natural fit, said Deja Hubbard, strategic sourcing and outreach manager for Alaska Airlines.

“CBU impressed us with their focus of owning safety, strong technical curriculum, dedication to students’ success, and commitment to a diverse flight deck,” Hubbard said. “Your aircraft fleet is immaculately maintained by high quality technicians. The leadership at the school is spectacular as well.  All of these reasons contribute to the selection of CBU.”

Nine students have already interviewed with Horizon to get into the program. Luke Ferrene, an aviation flight junior, said his goal is to become a commercial airline pilot.

“This program is the gateway to my dream job at Alaska Airlines because it allows me to train alongside pilots and mentors with Horizon and Alaska Airlines as well as get the support and help I need to become one of their first officers,” Ferrene said. “This program is hugely beneficial to aviation flight majors wanting to pursue a commercial career. It allows you early access to a future aviation career that many students don’t get to see.”

Lillian Turrill, an aviation flight junior, said her goal is to become a missionary pilot. Horizon would let her gain experience in the real world of aviation and build a financial foundation.

“The pilot development program is helpful to students in that it guarantees a job in the airlines as soon as we are qualified to enter,” Turrill said. “It also provides us with financial support during our training at CBU as well as additional training and experiences outside of CBU.”

 

CBU Online places high in U.S. News & World Report rankings

CBU Online, the Division of Online and Professional Studies at California Baptist University, placed high in multiple categories in the latest national rankings released by U.S. News & World Report (USN&WR).

CBU Online earned the No. 55 spot among online bachelor’s programs in the 2022 rankings.

CBU Online also ranked high in the USN&WR rankings for “Best Online Master’s in Computer Information Technology Programs” and “Best Online Master’s in Education Programs” as these programs earned a No. 41 and No. 80 spot respectively. “Best Online Master’s in Business Programs (Non-MBA)” landed at No. 82.

“Once again, the online programs at CBU have been recognized as an outstanding choice for students who want and need an excellent, yet flexible, educational opportunity,” said Dr. Charles Sands, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

Sands said that CBU Online faculty are behind this national recognition.

“Our faculty serve our students in very positive and unique ways in an ever-changing online market,” he said.

CBU Online currently serves approximately 2,632 students online through 26 undergraduate majors and concentrations, 18 graduate programs and concentrations, and three doctoral programs.

For more information on the USN&WR rankings, please click here.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Riste Simnjanovski, associate professor of public administration, had an article published on Nasdaq.com and Bitcoin Magazine (Jan. 19). It was titled Bitcoin is a Black Hole for Theoretical Models.

 

 

 

 

Sherle Rubin, assistant professor of nursing, was interviewed on the radio show Soulful Sounds of Afternoon Delight on Dec. 18. She talked about her life and faith. She also was featured in The Prestige Woman (December/January).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, conducted two virtual sessions of self-inspector and ramp-inspector training for the 15 state of Hawaii-owned airports on Jan. 18. The training sessions were designed to assist personnel at these airports in maintaining safe airfields that meet state and federal standards.

 

 

 

Dr. Mark Kling, associate professor of criminal justice, and Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, professor of public administration, had an article published in the PA Times on Dec. 14. It was titled Preventing Shoplifting Without Police: Lessons Learned from Drug Dealers.

 

 

 

Dr. Julie Goodman-Bowling, associate professor of anthropology, completed Cultural Anthropology: A Restorative Study of our Humanity (Kendall-Hunt Publishing, 2022), a textbook and e-course. The course takes a perspective of the study of anthropology that is rooted in the belief that all humans are created, creative and emotive beings.

 

 

 

 

Brian Shariffi (’20), Katherine Dillon (’20), Dr. Trevor Gillum, professor kinesiology, Dr. William Boyer, assistant professor of kinesiology, Dr. Sean Sullivan, professor of kinesiology, Dr. Esther Lee, associate professor of statistics, and Dr. Kim Jong-Kyung Kim, professor of exercise science, published an article in the Journal of Dietary Supplements (Jan. 4, 2022). The title is Effect of Combined Grape Seed Extract and L-citrulline Supplementation on Hemodynamic Responses to Exercise in Young Males.

 

Dr. Effat Zeidan Hatoum, assistant professor of general education, had an article published in Advances in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Vol. 5, Issue 1). It was titled Nanoscience in the k-12 classroom: More Needed than Ever.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Tim Gramling, dean of the Robert K. Jabs School of Business, had an article published in the magazine IE Business Edge (January). It was titled What Your Business Really Is.

 

 

 

 

Shanna James, assistant professor of nursing, passed her Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certification exam on Jan. 18.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Dayna Herrera, professor of nursing, and Sarah Pearce, director of simulation and standardized patient program, presented at the 22nd International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare Conference in Los Angeles on Jan. 18. The presentation was titled Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Repeat Simulation Based Learning During a Global Pandemic.

 

 

 

Stefani Plummer, director of academic operations for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, served on a virtual panel for the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association on Jan. 25. It was titled Navigating NIRSA. Panelists spoke to graduate students and young professionals within the field of recreation from a perspective of someone who worked in recreation, left the profession but remains working in higher education.

 

 

 

Dr. Emily Hollinghurst, adjunct professor of nursing, obtained certification as a certified specialty pharmacist on Nov. 15. Additionally, she presented at the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists annual seminar in Anaheim on Nov. 4. Her presentation was titled Rashes, Diarrhea, and Hyperglycemia, Oh My! Supportive Care and Toxicity Management for New Oral Oncolytics.

 

 

 

Dr. Lisa Hernández, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, had an article published in the MAA Focus magazine (December 2021/January 2022). It was titled Mathematical Cookie Days.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Krystal Hays, assistant professor of social work, Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, and Dr. Jennifer Costello, assistant professor of social work, presented at the Northern Association Christian Social Workers annual conference in Glendale, California, on Nov. 19-21. It was titled Training Church Volunteers to Engage in Trauma-Informed Mentorship.

 

 

Damon Horton, assistant professor of intercultural studies, preached at the California Southern Baptist Convention’s annual State Youth Conference at Magnolia Church in Riverside on Jan. 21–22.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Juliann Perdue, professor of nursing, received a grant from the 2021 Song Brown Program of the California Department of Health Care Access and Information for Registered Nursing. The $384,000 grant will enable the College of Nursing to expand programs for underrepresented students admitted into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

 

 

 

Dr. Robert LaChausse, professor of public health, received a Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the eighth consecutive year. Jessica Ducsay, research associate for public health science, is the DFC program coordinator. The grant is for $125,000. The DFC program aims to mobilize community leaders to identify and respond to the drug problems unique to their community and change local community environmental conditions tied to substance use.

 

 

Dr. Robert G. Crosby, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, received a grant from the Louisville Institute. They earned the $30,000 grant for their project The Evaluation of a Brief Trauma-Informed (TIC) Training Program for Church Children’s Ministry Workers: Comparing the Effectiveness of Face-to-Face and Online Delivery Modalities.

If you have an idea for a grant and want to seek external funds (research/sponsored project) but you are not sure where to begin, please contact the Office of Research Initiatives at ori@calbaptist.edu.

 

Patty VanBuskirk, department secretary for communication arts, and her husband, Scott, welcomed their first grandchild on Dec. 10. Leighton Jan VanBuskirk weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 22 inches. His parents are Dylan and Casey VanBuskirk.

 

 

 

 

Michael Knight, systems administrator for Information Technology Services, and his wife, Alicia, welcomed a son on Jan. 10. Ian Curtis Knight weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 20 inches. He joins sisters Riley, 7, and Alana, 3.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates