September 9, 2022

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

In-person chapel returns to campus at CBU

Students streamed into the Events Center for chapel at California Baptist University on Sept. 6. Not only was it the first chapel of the school year, but it was also the first in-person chapel since March 2020 when the pandemic shut everything down. During the past two years chapel was held online.

Dr. John Montgomery, associate vice president of Student Services, said he was thankful the students could gather again.

“What we already knew but has been reinforced by our shared experience over the last couple of years is that worshiping together is so much more vibrant and life-giving when we are physically together,” Montgomery said. “The pandemic has been tragic, but it has taught us that the virtual cannot replace the benefit of singing praises together, hearing from God’s word together and responding to God together.”

Most CBU students attended in-person for the first time. The only students who have experienced in-person chapel are seniors who were freshmen when the pandemic was declared in March 2020.

Daniel Hubert, a senior in the mathematics and preliminary single subject credential programs, was looking forward to attending chapel again.

“Chapel is important to CBU culture because it brings community. Chapel online was individualistic. I don’t know of anyone that watched chapel together,” Hubert said. “In person, we go together, sit with our friends and share experiences. It also is the starting point for great conversations.”

For Damara Wilson, an applied theology senior, chapel is a helpful launch pad for those interested in knowing more about Jesus and Christianity.

“I’m looking forward to the consistency of being reminded of God’s word throughout the school week. Chapel can be a restful place on campus in the midst of all the busyness that comes with a semester,” Wilson said. “Chapel is important for the community at CBU because we are a Great Commission school, and it helps students to know what that actually means for us here in Riverside.”

Dr. Rick Warren, a CBU alumnus (’77) and founding pastor of Saddleback Church, gave the message for the first chapel. The students have three options, Warren told them. They can waste their life, spend their life or invest their life. There are “thousands of ways” to waste a life. They can spend their life on a career, on money or on being popular.

“The greatest use of your life is to invest it in something that will outlast it. You were made to make a difference with your life. You were made to live for something greater than yourself,” Warren said.

Warren encouraged the students to find their purpose and do that.

“College is not just for knowledge. College is to discover your purpose and then give the rest of your life, however long it is, to fulfilling God’s purpose in your generation,” Warren said. “There’s no greater pleasure in life. There’s no greater joy in life than to know you are being used by the hand of God for a purpose greater than yourself.”

Chapels are held Tuesdays throughout the semester. Students are required to go to 15 sessions and faculty and staff are also invited to attend.

“Chapel is really the only time when the entire campus community is invited to come together for worship and spiritual encouragement,” Montgomery said. “Once a week, we have the unique opportunity to be reminded of the greatness of our God, the power of the gospel, who we are in Christ and what it means to be a university committed to the Great Commission.”

 

New CBU journal focuses on faith integration in the classroom

The Teaching and Learning Center at California Baptist University launched a new journal this summer.

The Journal of Faith in the Academic Profession is aimed at Christian faculty as it examines the role that faith plays in the work of a higher education instructor, said Dr. Ted Murcray, director of the Teaching and Learning Center and the journal’s editor.

“One of the things that teaching and learning centers do is they drive innovation at their institutions, and we have wanted to increase the research and scholarship activity here at CBU,” Murcray said.

The catalyst for the online journal began four years ago when the TLC started Faith Integration Fellowships to provide faculty time to delve into how faith intersects with their particular discipline.

The fellows write research articles, but there were few options to publish their work, Murcray said. That ultimately led the Teaching and Learning Center to create the biannual journal.

“We’re looking for the article to be about the faculty experience as an academic professional from a biblical perspective,” Murcray said. “We’re looking specifically for how do [Christian] faculty teach differently. How do they exist in the academic profession differently using their biblical lens?”

The journal, which has a blind peer review process, includes theoretical, research and practical application articles along with book reviews. Anyone can submit, not just fellows or CBU faculty.

Dr. Jenifer Nalbandian, associate professor of chemistry, had an article in the first issue. “Common Myths Surrounding Faith Integration” focused on the basics of faith integration.

“I am aware that faith integration can be daunting for new and veteran faculty alike, so the topic originated from a desire to provide some encouragement for all of us to begin or to dive even deeper into faith integration in our disciplines,” she said.

The journal shows that faith integration is not something faculty have to pursue alone, Nalbandian said.

“We should be trying to connect with faculty outside of our discipline, as well as within our discipline, as we grapple with this topic,” Nalbandian said. “In that vein, this journal allows for the transfer of ideas between those whose paths might not ever cross in their daily life. The journal is open to any faculty at faith-based institutions, which allows those of us at CBU to benefit from the wisdom and knowledge of those outside the CBU community.”

Dr. Kenneth Nehrbass, director of special projects in the TLC and associate editor, said the publication provides faculty support and depth in relation to faith integration.

“I think we grow up in churches where we are taught to look at the Bible for how it gets us into heaven and deals with forgiveness of sins, but we spend a lot less time in our church life thinking about how faith impacts what we’re learning in school, especially at the college level,” Nehrbass said. “We might get into issues of faith and science a little bit in church, but other than that, we don’t think a lot about faith in kinesiology or faith in architecture.”

  

Newest Lancers arrive for Welcome Weekend

The newest Lancers received a warm reception as they arrived at California Baptist University for Welcome Weekend, Sept. 2-4. That came both from the high temperatures and the faculty, staff and student leaders. About 1,400 freshmen and transfer students arrived for the start of the fall semester at CBU.

The weekend started with residential freshmen and transfer students moving in on Sept. 2. As students arrived at their living areas with vehicles full of luggage, student volunteers lined up to help with the move.

Camdyn Taylor, an elementary education freshman, said she was very excited to move in.

“I’m looking forward to connecting with the Lord more and making new friends,” Taylor said.

The day also included academic involvement fairs and a Welcome Session.

During the Welcome Session in the Events Center, new students and their parents were introduced to leaders on campus, including Dr. John Montgomery, associate vice president of Student Services; Tyler Mariucci, the director of Athletics; and Dr. Charles Sands, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. The audience members learned about CBU’s values and had the opportunity to have some fun, too, by learning the CBU fight song.

“Being a university committed to the Great Commission is so important to who we are,” Sands said at the event. “One thing we want you to realize is we are here because we believe God’s called us to serve you. We want you to come here. We want you to learn, we want you to grow and we want you to become part of our Lancer Nation. One of the things we want to do is cultivate God’s gifts in you.”

Other events throughout the weekend included connecting with First-Year Experience (FYE) groups, which are designed to help the transitional needs of new students, participating in various activities across campus, experiencing Spiritual Life (SL) Night and attending a movie night to watch “The Greatest Showman.”

Eli Washburn, an exercise science sophomore, transferred into CBU after visiting the campus.

“I really like the environment and the community on campus,” Washburn said. “I really like the program and the teachers. I’m excited to get to know more people, especially in the field I am interested in.”

Delaney Keller, a graphic design and visual experience freshman, especially enjoyed the FYE group events since they allowed her to connect with a smaller group of students on a deeper level.

“I really like the FYE groups and getting to know people,” Keller said. “It helps calm your nerves because you are actually talking to people and communicating.”

The weekend wrapped up with the return of Clash N Roll, an annual event that has been absent from campus life since fall 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1,000 students — both new and returning — attended the event dressed in their craziest clashing outfits to play a massive game of bunco on the Front Lawn.

Alyssa Humphreys, a psychology senior, is a Community Life intern who helped prepare and run the Welcome Weekend and Clash N Roll events.

“We’re so excited to have Clash N Roll back,” Humphreys said. “It’s an event that brings everyone together right at the start of the year. It’s such high energy and it sets the tone for the rest of the year. We’ve been through a lot of struggles with COVID, and we weren’t able to do this event, so it’s really cool to be on the other side of that and be able to start this event again.”

Throughout the weekend, Humphreys said she enjoyed seeing students form connections during events.

“Once you have community and once you have connections, that’s really what’s going to lead you to be able to stay at school and enjoy your college experience,” Humphreys said.

Classes began for the fall 2022 semester on Sept. 6.

 

CBU scores high in 2023 Niche college rankings

The Niche 2023 college rankings recently were released, and California Baptist University once again received top marks for campus life.

Nationally, CBU came in at No. 3 for “Best College Campuses,” No. 5 for “Best College Food” and No. 24 for “Best College Dorms” respectively. CBU continues to place high in the national categories year over year.

The Niche college rankings are based on various statistical analyses per category, according to the site. The results compile data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation and nearly 500,000 reviews from students.

“Coming from a state school I must say this is the far better choice to get a quality education and college experience. There are so many ways to get connected to other people including students and professors,” wrote a student reviewer on Niche.com for CBU. “The food is amazing whether it be in the cafeteria or the small food shops around campus. The people here are very open and kind. Staff, counselors and professors are easy to get a hold of and are usually very responsive and understanding of student situations.”

CBU placed No. 27 for “Best Hispanic-Serving Institutions” in the national rankings. In the Niche ratings for California colleges, CBU ranked No. 2 for “Best College Campuses,” “Best College Food” and “Best College Dorms.” Additionally in the state rankings, CBU placed No. 5 for “Best Christian Colleges,” No. 7 for “Best College Athletics” and No. 11 for “Best Colleges for Education.

 

CBU announces $1 million-plus gift benefiting Athletics

California Baptist University announced a gift exceeding $1 million from an anonymous donor to the benefit of the Department of Athletics on Thursday.

The commitment includes a combination of both cash and planned gifts. It will support a number of athletic projects and initiatives including a major gift to the men’s basketball program through its newly established fundraising arm, the Sixth Man Club.

“These types of estate gift commitments are a remarkable testament to the generosity and thoughtfulness of our donors,” said Paul Eldridge, CBU Vice President of University Advancement. “By including CBU athletics in their estate plan, this anonymous donor has basically raised CBU to the level of family.”

The gift comes after CBU recently announced a $20 million phase of the master facilities plan, with several projects that began earlier this year wrapping up in time for the 2022-23 season. In all, CBU has invested over $100 million in athletic-related projects over the last decade.

“This is truly a significant commitment from one of our longtime and greatest supporters here at CBU,” said CBU Director of Athletics Tyler Mariucci. “This level of support not only helps our university and department in a very meaningful way, it helps us continue to build the culture of philanthropy within athletics now and into the future.”

For more information on how to get involved with supporting Lancer Athletics, contact Robby Mansfield, Director of Development, at rmansfield@calbaptist.edu.

 

Kienel Leadership Institute graduates first doctoral students

The Dr. Paul and Annie Kienel Leadership Institute at California Baptist University graduated its first doctoral students on Aug. 17.

Dr. Kathryn Grimble, Dr. Brittnee Quintanar and Dr. Lindsey Rosa received their Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies.

Dr. John Shoup, executive director of the Leadership Institute, commended the graduates for their resolve to earn a Ph.D. in three years while balancing careers and family — all during a pandemic. He also highlighted the importance of leadership studies in equipping students to be “people of influence who make the right things happen the right way in their personal and professional communities.”

“Your degree conveys that you are an expert called to judiciously equip and teach others to thrive in their individual and collective endeavors — to be salt and light in a society in desperate need of good leaders,” Shoup said during the hooding ceremony on Aug. 17.

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, chair of Grimble’s dissertation committee, commended her hard work.

“On Sept. 10, 2020, Katie Grimble sent me an email. Five emails later she asked me to chair her committee. Forty-eight emails later she became Dr. Grimble. Her diligence throughout the pandemic was incredible. This was all done while she worked in public education in Riverside,” Pearson said.

Quintanar said she actually began her doctoral journey 16 years ago at another university, but she soon knew in her heart it wasn’t the right fit. When she joined the Leadership Institute, she felt support from the faculty and from Shoup, her dissertation committee chair.

“Knowing that my dissertation committee members truly wanted me to succeed and prayed for my diligence and fortitude to see it through was the defining factor that got me to the finish line,” Quintanar said.

The program hosted its fourth orientation on Aug. 23. They welcomed 17 students to the cohort.

Quintanar presented her dissertation research and a panel of current candidates offered advice to the new students, such as Dawn Carter, industry liaison for the School of Business, who will begin her studies this fall.

“As a first-year Ph.D. student, the orientation was such a blessing. I particularly appreciated the words of wisdom that current students passed along to us about the process and how pursuing a Ph.D. affected them,” Carter said. “Now when ‘imposter syndrome’ invariably hits, I feel equipped to counter it using their strategies.” 

 

Family Updates

Dr. Erin Smith, professor of psychology, co-wrote an article published in Social Work & Christianity (Vol. 29 No. 2). It was titled The relationships between positive character traits, virtues, and health.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mark Kling, professor of criminal justice, and Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, professor of public administration, had an article published in the PA Times (Aug. 12). It was titled Los Angeles Hotels: Serving Travelers or Homeless Individuals?

 

 

 

 

Dr. Virgo Handojo, professor of psychology, presented a live seminar titled Building Parent-Child Attachment during Pandemic during Covid-19 on June 11 for the Indonesian Christian Family Counselor Network in Jakarta, Indonesia. On June 16 he presented Well-being as Evidence-Based Practice at the plenary session of National Consortium of Indonesian Christian Psychological Association, Bandung, Indonesia. He presented a webinar on Psychology of Well-being at the AKI University, Semarang, Indonesia, on June 22. Additionally, he presented Psychology of Multiculturalism: Attachment and Intercultural Relations, at the Pre-International Conference of Psychology of Multiculturalism, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga, Indonesia, on June 30.

 

Dr. Michael J. Nalbandian, associate professor of civil engineering, presented a research poster at the American Chemical Society Fall 2022 National Meeting on Aug. 21 in Chicago. The poster was titled Synthesis and characterization of electrospun silica-based nanofibers for Cu(II) removal of contaminated water.

 

 

 

 

Kristin Beinschroth, visiting professor of radiologic sciences, co-presented at the California Society of Radiologic Technologists Student Committee Meeting on Aug. 29. The title was Resume and LinkedIn for Medical Imaging Professionals.

 

 

 

Dr. Sylvie Raquel, adjunct professor of Christian studies, co-edited a recently published book. It was titled Teaching the Bible with Undergraduates (SBL Press, July 2022).

 

 

 

Dr. Sangmin Kim, professor of public health sciences, co-authored a paper published in the International Journal of Health, Wellness, and Society (Sept. 6). It was titled Correlates of Occupational Stress on Emotional and Physical Health in Veterinary Technicians.

 

 

 

Jamond McCoy, adjunct professor of music, performed with Leon Bridges, a soul singer, songwriter and record producer, at the Forum in Inglewood, California, on June 30. He was part of the choir on the song River. McCoy also co-wrote a song, This Kid Acts Like She’s 21 Years Old!!, for Brent Rivera, a social media personality.

 

 

Zachary Bortot, associate professor of theatre, served as a discussion moderator for New Threads Theatre Company’s staged reading of Jennifer Shaley’s The Nether. The performance took place on Aug. 27 at Ruhnau Clark Architects in Riverside.

 

 

 

Dr. Barry Parker, librarian, officiated his son’s wedding. Jesse Parker (’05) married Devin Meehan, on Aug. 13 in Vancouver, B.C.

 

Corey Stegman, adjunct professor of kinesiology, and his wife, Jordan, welcomed a son on Aug. 19. William Lee Stegman weighed 8 pounds and measured 21 inches. He joins sisters Charlotte, 6, and Ryann, 5.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates