September 23, 2022

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Photo exhibit at airport showcases alumni and CBU program

As passengers wait to board planes at Ontario International Airport, art exhibits near the gate areas in Terminals 2 and 4 can help them pass the time. Currently featured in Terminal 4 are photographs taken by five California Baptist University alumni.

Christopher Kern, program lead of photography, said he tries to think outside the box on where to display students’ work. Locations have included pop-up gallery shows in the program’s warehouse studio, the spring show in shipping containers, downtown Riverside Arts Walk and now the Ontario International Airport.

“The prompt is to get the photographers’ work out there to the public, to engage the community as a viewer and prompt curiosities and start conversations,” Kern said. “Having our work out at the airport in a more permanent space allows for ongoing foot traffic from the community, promotion for the program and visibility for these emerging photographers. It’s also an opportunity for the students to include these opportunities on their CV.”

The Chaffey Community Museum of Art in Ontario manages the Art at the Airport program. Artists wanting to exhibit at the airport need to apply. A three-person panel evaluates each submission for artistic merit, the perceived ability to draw busy travelers to the exhibit and whether the artist resides in the area served by the airport, said Nancy DeDiemar, board president of the museum.

Typically, art is shown in 24 glass cases in Terminals 2 and 4. The CBU photography exhibit is an expansion of that to two new locations in Terminal 4, DeDiemar said. The first is a long wall adjacent to Gate 405. The exhibit replaces a series of posters depicting Route 66. The second location is in the passageway near Gate 401.

“CCMA is delighted to have the expansion exhibits and CBU’s active participation in the A3 [Art at the Airport] program,” DeDiemar said.

CBU has the space for two years. Students’ work will be changed twice a year, Kern said.

Photos by Ryan Fields (’22) focuses on surfing.

“I was honored and so excited that more people will be able to view the work we put so much time and effort into,” he said. “I hope my work is able to give a look into what the culture of surfing really is and emphasize the craftsmanship that goes into a surfboard.”

Alicia Berardelli (’22) features photographs of athletes on bikes, skateboards and skis in her photos.

“My hope for my work is to be able to capture the athletic talents of passionate individuals in beautifully powerful ways and for the viewers to feel a glimpse of the same adrenaline that the athletes themselves are experiencing,” Berardelli said. “I want the viewers to ask themselves: What drives these athletes? Is it passion? Addiction? Madness?”

The airport location is a wonderful opportunity to have her work seen and for CBU’s photography program to have such exposure, she said.

“The photography program at CBU and the professors helped me to discover and refine my photographic style, understand why my work matters and how to channel underlying themes that are important to me and my community through my work, and taught me about the business side of photography through branding and marketing one’s work,” Berardelli said. “I cannot express my gratitude enough to my professors for the time that they invested in me, their passion to see me succeed but also their care in building solid relationships with me.”

To see the installation, go here. 

 

New leadership brings new philosophy to Safety Services

California Baptist University has welcomed the new director and two assistant directors of Safety Services to campus to spearhead safety initiatives that ensure a safe, welcoming environment.

John Freese, director of Safety Services, started in February, bringing more than 25 years of experience at the UC Riverside Police Department. Chris Thomas, assistant director of Safety Services, started in July, and has over 25 years of experience in the field. Christian Dinco, assistant director of Safety Services, started in August and has 30 years of experience protecting and serving the local community.

Freese said when he came to CBU, he began changing the philosophy of Safety Services.

“When I first arrived, Safety Services’ goal was to respond, observe and report incidents,” Freese said. “We’ve changed that to a proactive, collaborative partnership with our campus partners with the primary goal of supporting student success.”

With that goal in mind, Freese recruited a leadership team including Dinco, whom he worked with over the years.

“Christian [Dinco] and Chris Thomas, our other assistant director, are both men of strong faith and conviction and have a very high level of professionalism and integrity,” Freese said. “I feel very fortunate to have been able to bring them both together to form our new leadership team.”

Freese said changes are coming to the Safety Services team and to campus.

“I’ve completely changed the expectations for our officers,” Freese said. “I’ve committed to developing each of them, demanding that they be problem solvers with the understanding that they have a high calling of changing the trajectory of a student’s life.”

Students could be suffering from mental health issues, they could’ve been a victim of sexual violence or both, Freese said.

“We have an opportunity to meet students where they’re at and help them get through the situation,” Freese said. “Everyone, no matter what time of day, can be here to solve problems and provide a safe experience for our students.”

Uniform changes are also coming to the team. The current one looks similar to RPD’s uniform. The new one will feature a polo shirt and cargo-style pants to make the officers look less like actual police, Freese said.

He recognizes that students come from all over the globe.

“Depending on what culture people come from or where they were raised, they or their family members might not have a great experience with police,” Freese said. “We have to overcome that, and I want our officers to be seen as engaging and approachable, and a uniform is just a part of that.”

Freese began at the UC Riverside Police Department as an officer and worked his way through the ranks as a detective, sergeant, field supervisor and lieutenant.

“I had the opportunity to have the big city policing experience while working with the Riverside Police Department but also years of experience collaborating with student partners on campus,” Freese said. “I was excited to be able to bring that experience to CBU.”

He retired in February 2022 from UC Riverside as interim chief of police.

“I wanted to keep working in a new role that was different but would leverage and utilize my experience,” Freese said. “I found that opportunity with CBU, but what I didn’t realize initially was that it was going to be an amazing opportunity to live out my faith and use my philosophy that this work should be a calling and a ministry.”

Dinco (’15) began his career at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and then came to the Riverside Police Department in 1995. He retired in April 2022. Throughout his career he had the opportunity to work in a variety of positions from officer to detective sergeant and, eventually, lieutenant. In addition to his CBU duties, Dinco serves as a council member for the City of Eastvale.

“Law enforcement was just a vehicle to realize that service comes in many different ways,” Dinco said. “I was a police officer and now in retirement I came here to work as another way to provide service to the community and the residents of this faith-based environment. I am really proud to be part of this team.”

Prior to joining CBU, Thomas served with the Orange County Sherriff’s Department. His assignments included corrections, Special Investigations Bureau and critical incident review. His final one was in the Homeland Security Division as the Chief of Transit Police Services. For the past 10 years, Thomas has taught law enforcement training courses at the Rancho Santiago Community College District.

Born and raised in Riverside, he has watched CBU grow into a university that has become a jewel in the city, Thomas said.

“My wife attended when it was CBC,” Thomas said. “I wanted to be part of this extraordinary Christ-centered culture. It is exciting to me to play a small part in helping our students have a safe space to thrive and find Christ’s path for them. I love coming to work every day to watch what He continues to accomplish through CBU.”

 

CBU architecture grad student participates in fellowship

Pablo Guzman, an architecture graduate student at California Baptist University, completed a fellowship with the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) program as an intern at Populous during the summer of 2022.

The fellowship offers students a mentorship experience to enhance their skills at top design firms. NOMA aims to increase diversity in the field of architecture and design. Guzman was one of three CBU students who received a NOMA Foundation Fellowship. Twenty students total were selected nationally for the program.

Aaron Greene, assistant professor of architecture at CBU, said the NOMA Foundation Fellowship is a major program because it provides students of color with an opportunity to engage with firms of a high caliber.

“This program has been developed to provide a gateway for students of color into practice during the academic experience, network creation/building, opportunities for mentorship and monetary encouragement to obtain an architectural license,” Greene said.

This was Guzman’s first internship, and he was able to learn more about the field while understanding how the operations and management side works at a large firm.

“I learned a lot of communication skills and ways to be more efficient in team collaborations,” Guzman said. “Populous handles numerous projects and ventures and the most challenging part was the first two weeks and trying to understand how their processes and work structure was done around the office.”

Additionally, the firm, which is located in Kansas City, Missouri, conducted education sessions that were tailored to interns and new graduates, Guzman said.

“A few of my favorites [included] intro to sports architecture, esports designs, internal data and crucial conversations,” Guzman said. “These were great sessions because they brought us up to speed on proper terminology and standards while also explaining how to continually improve designs on projects and how it works within the work-life culture.”

Guzman was inspired to pursue a career in architecture after he started working for his father’s construction business located in the San Fernando Valley. Many projects they work on are located in Los Angeles and Hollywood.

“I was exposed to a variety of spaces—from commercial to residential buildings—and saw how they were transformed to create new living experiences,” Guzman said. “Seeing this firsthand convinced me to be on the design side where I have the opportunity to serve communities through my designs.”

Guzman said that his degree through the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD) at CBU focuses on a practical and empathetic design approach.

“In the program we learned through readings, research, discussions and projects that, to be able to serve communities at the micro or macro levels, we must first understand who our users are [in order] to fully be able to design and serve them,” Guzman said.

Guzman has been mentored by Krysten Burton, assistant professor of architecture at CBU.

“Professor Burton helped break down the interview process with the firms,” Guzman said. “She also reviewed my portfolio providing feedback and tips to better show its content, which is crucial during interviews.”

Burton said Guzman is a tremendously talented, creative and hard-working student with a generous and humble heart.

“We are very proud to see Pablo utilizing the skills he gained developing his projects in the studio to be a light in the world working with a prestigious and talented team to bring complex and fascinating architectural projects to life,” Burton said.

 

CBU advances in 2023 “Best Colleges” rankings

California Baptist University received high marks in U.S. News & World Report’s annual 2023 Best Colleges rankings.

In the listings, released Sept. 12, CBU claimed the No. 2 spot for “Most Innovative Schools,” up a spot from last year’s No. 3. The list is curated by college presidents, provosts and admissions deans who are asked to nominate up to 15 peer colleges that are making the most innovative improvements in curriculum, faculty, students, campus life, technology or facilities.

CBU also received a No. 28 spot for “Best Regional University” in the West, climbing up from last year’s No. 34 position.

The 2023 rankings mark the ninth consecutive year that CBU has received a top-50 ranking in the publication’s “Best Regional Universities” category for public and private colleges in the West. It is also the 17th year that CBU has appeared in the “Best Colleges” list.

“I am thankful these influential rankings continue to recognize California Baptist University and the continuing advances happening here,” said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of CBU. “College rankings such as these acknowledge the effort and commitment by faculty and staff who work to give our students the best educational experience possible.”

CBU also earned significant placement in several other U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for “Best Undergraduate Teaching”; No. 23 for “Top Performers on Social Mobility” (based on enrolling and graduating students who received federal Pell Grants); No. 24 for “Best Colleges for Veterans”; and No. 30 in the “Best Value Schools” category.

The “Best Regional Universities” category compares nearly 600 institutions in four regions of the nation that offer a broad scope of undergraduate degrees and master’s degrees but few, if any, doctoral programs.

CBU offers seven doctoral programs, 40 graduate programs and more than 100 bachelor’s programs.

U.S. News & World Report publishes the “Best Colleges” rankings each year to aid prospective students and their parents looking for the best academic values for their money. Now in its 38th year, the annual comparative listing uses a system of weighted indicators of academic excellence to rank universities. Those indicators include student selectivity, retention and graduation rates, assessment by peer institutions, faculty resources, financial resources and alumni giving, according to the U.S. News website.

 

New CBU Soccer Stadium is dedicated

When soccer season started last month, the teams at California Baptist University took to a new field.

The $3.9 million CBU Soccer Stadium includes a new game field, bleachers that can seat 520 people with space for overflow crowds, and a covered, open-air press box. The field also features 90-foot-tall stadium lighting for night games.

On a very warm evening on Sept. 8, more than 900 fans watched the women’s team play University of California, Riverside. The teams battled to a 3-3 draw. The stadium was dedicated with a ribbon cutting during halftime.

“As I look around here tonight, I feel optimism about the opportunity in front of us to realize a new vision, a vision for building a nationally recognized brand for NCAA men’s and women’s soccer,” Coe Michaelson, head men’s soccer coach, said during the program. “We now have a home that our student athletes can be proud of, a place where they can build a legacy at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics.”

The new facility features a field with hybrid Bermuda grass, which sits on top of eight inches of sand and an underground drainage system. The former soccer field is now used for practice and is surrounded by a two-lane track.

“What a great space for our student-athletes to show their exceptional skills,” said Paul Eldridge, vice president for University Advancement, during halftime. He also thanked the Lancer Athletics Association donors and gave a prayer of dedication.

“May there be fierce competition here over many, many years. May our student athletes excel, and may they always play to the very best of their ability and to Your glory in this stadium,” Eldridge prayed.

Adding to the excitement of a new field, the teams are eligible for postseason play now that the transition to full NCAA Division 1 membership was completed last month. The Lancers will host the 2022 Western Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament at the CBU Soccer Stadium this fall.

“With the successful transition to Division 1, the completion of the beautiful multimillion soccer facility, and the opportunity to build one of the most competitive home field advantage atmospheres in Southern California, it is a very exciting time to be here at CBU,” said Tyler Mariucci, director of Athletics. “The combination of this new facility and our growing fan base and attendance is a game changer, and I believe one that can catapult us to the NCAA tournaments to compete against the best of the best in the nation.”

Players are excited to have the opportunity to play on the field.

“It feels like a long time coming getting to play on that field,” said Brian Gonzalez, a graduate midfielder. “I’m very excited that we have a top-tier facility on campus where our soccer program can do something special this year and for years to come.”

“It’s really exciting and a huge honor to be on the inaugural team to play on this field,” said McKenna Ray, a junior midfielder. “We are all very committed to bringing a WAC Championship to CBU and to plaster some banners on our new stadium!”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, professor of public administration, Dr. Mark Kling, professor of criminal justice, and Jim Bishop, associate professor of criminal justice and business law, had an article published in the PA Times (Sept. 9). It was titled Is Escalating Crime Altering the Social Contract? 

 

 

 

Eleven students and alumni from CBU Photography received Honorable Mentions for 16 pictures in the 2022 International Photography Awards. The awards are an annual competition for professional, amateur and student photographers. A jury of renowned photography experts judged 13,000 entries from 120 countries.

 

 

Dr. Trevor Gillum, professor of kinesiology, and Zack McKenna (’15, ’17) co-wrote two papers. Ibuprofen increases markers of intestinal barrier injury but suppresses inflammation at rest and after exercise in hypobaric hypoxia was published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (Sept. 5). High altitude exposure and intestinal barrier dysfunction was published in American Journal of Physiology Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology (Feb. 16).

 

 

Christopher Kern, professor of photography, became a docent at the California Museum of Photography (UCR ARTS) in Riverside. It is a one-year term.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Knabb, professor of psychology, has launched a weekly podcast, The Christian Psychologist: Mental Health for 21^st Century Christ Followers. It is aimed at helping church attendees improve their psychological and spiritual health.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Robert LaChausse, professor of public health, has been awarded a Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grant by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the ninth 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. Rebecca Meyer, professor of nursing, has been awarded $49,992 by the Health Resources and Services Administration for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP). This is in addition to the $1 million award in 2018 and $999,551 in 2020. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide. NFLP provides funding to accredited schools of nursing to establish and operate a student loan fund and provide loans to students enrolled in advanced education nursing degree programs who are committed to becoming nurse faculty. Meyer is the director of the program at CBU.

 

 

Zachary Vrobel, Madelyn Bradley and Hanchu Dai, nutrition and food science students, and Dr. Shasha Zheng, associate professor of nutrition, had an article published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Food Science (Aug. 30, 2022). It was titled Impact of Dietary Vitamin Intake on Obesity in Native American Adolescents. The students were the first, second and third authors.

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Knabb, professor of psychology, Dr. Jessie Lowell, associate professor of psychology, Heather Boyd and Katie Duvall, graduate students, had an article published in the Journal of Psychology and Theology (September 2022). It was titled The relationship between God attachment, transdiagnostic processes, and symptoms of psychopathology among Christian adults.

 

 

 

Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, presented a workshop at the 36th annual Children’s Network Conference in Ontario, California, on Sept. 14. It was titled Surviving Motherhood: Trauma and Triumph and aimed at helping healthcare providers learn about the experiences of motherhood when impacted by racism and bias.

 

 

 

Dr. Sandra Romo, associate professor of communication, and Dr. Shannon Leinen, adjunct professor of communication studies, published an article in the Journal of Education and Social Policy (Vol. 9, No. 2). It was titled Universal Assessment Practices across Traditional and Online Programs: An Explanatory Case Study Analysis of Universal Assessment Practices.

 

 

 

California Baptist University made the 2022 Military Times Best for Vets: Colleges list. Military Times, which is a news outlet for service members, surveyed more than 300 schools on their services and programs specific to military students.

 

 

 

Robyn Glessner, adjunct professor of political science, married Michael Luna on Aug. 5 in Orange, California.

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Minyard, associate athletic director for external relations, and his wife, Katie, welcomed a son on Sept. 9.  Memphis Monroe Minyard weighed 8 pounds and measured 20.5 inches.

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates