November 11, 2022

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU to celebrate Parent and Family Weekend

Thousands of visitors are expected to attend the Parent and Family Weekend at California Baptist University on Nov. 11-12.

The weekend is filled with activities and opportunities for families to connect with their students and make memories together.

“We are excited to welcome CBU families to campus for Parent and Family Weekend,” said Paul Elderidge, J.D., vice president for University Advancement. “We cherish the time parents and students can share in the college experience and be active participants in the campus-wide activities for the entire Lancer community to enjoy. We hope wonderful memories are made on this fun-filled weekend at CBU.”

On Friday, visitors have an opportunity to tour academic colleges and schools and meet the deans.

In the evening, a pregame party before the men’s basketball game will feature live music, food trucks, a climbing wall and face painting. On the court, the Lancers will face New Jersey Institute of Technology.

The following morning, families can participate in a hike up Mt. Rubidoux, which includes a parent prayer during the hike.

Later, Spiritual Life will provide a service opportunity of assembling Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. These will be filled with donations from staff and students at the Merry & Bright Christmas event later this month.

Both days offer other athletic events, including a women’s basketball game, baseball and softball scrimmages and games for the WAC Men’s Soccer Tournament.

Saturday afternoon, the Block Party on the Front Lawn features food trucks, a live band and other attractions.

The day ends with the Fortuna Bowl, the annual intramural flag football championship that started in 1991.

“Parent and Family Weekend featuring Fortuna Bowl is one of the largest events that happens on campus. It brings back alumni who played intramurals, current students and their families along with people from our surrounding community,” said Tyler Cox, senior director of campus recreation.

Sam Robertus, a sports analytics senior, has been looking forward to the Fortuna Bowl, the annual intramural flag football championship, for a year.

His team, J.A.C.K., played for the championship last year and lost.

“That’s just been haunting us the entire year,” Robertus said. “It just feels so good to be back. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to play with. Top to bottom, I love my team.”

J.A.C.K. will face Twinkle Toes. His goal?

“Win. Win big. We want a blowout win versus Twinkle. We’re going to be ready, and [we are] super excited.”

In the women’s game, Hail Mary’s will play Smooth Criminals.

Jessica Holloway, a kinesiology senior, has played three seasons with Smooth Criminals.

She joined because she loves football and enjoys the team camaraderie.

“On and off the field, we were able to laugh and just enjoy our time together, and I think that’s what made it worthwhile,” Holloway said.

That doesn’t mean she’s not serious about the game. For the championship, she wants “to have fun and take the W.”

After the final game, fireworks will end the night.

To see the full schedule, go here.

 

CBU will bring a ‘Joyful Noise’ to the stage

The theatre program at California Baptist University will perform a “Joyful Noise” as its second production of the semester. It opens Nov. 18.

This 1700s-period piece, based on real events and people, follows the life of composer George Frederick Handel as he attempts to present his opera “The Messiah” amid opposition from the church. The story also follows Susannah Cibber, a woman caught in an abusive marriage who becomes involved in the opera.

“The play has a story of redemption that glorifies our need for a Savior in a broken world, and that is something we think a CBU audience would resonate with,” said Zachary Bortot, associate professor of theatre and director of the production.

For this production, Bortot is working alongside a cast and crew of eight student actors, three student stage managers and several behind-the-scenes technicians. As director, he dived into research on the script, which helped him coach the actors in learning their roles.

“My goal as a director is to provide this big vision that everyone can jump on board with,” Bortot said. “What I do tell the actors is that by the time we open, hopefully they become the experts on their specific character.”

Shane Moser, a theatre senior, plays Handel. Prepping for the role looked different from other shows because it required research into who Handel was, Moser said. Also, since Handel lived during the 1700s, there are limited resources about him.

“It’s very different [from] a normal role because he was a person,” Moser said. “Everyone in the show is a person, not just a character that was made up. We’ve had to be very specific on how we’ve gone about this.”

Since the production features German, Irish and British characters, the actors have worked with a dialect coach to master accents, which has been challenging but rewarding for the students, including Moser, who had to learn a German accent.

“When you are trying to mimic these sounds that are not natural to you, it’s difficult to do that and focus on the acting itself,” Bortot said.

Jennifer Palacios-Cardenas, a theatre senior, plays Kitty Clive, an antagonistic figure in the story. She uses several methods to get into character, from running lines in a corset and hoop skirt to finding ways to relate to her character.

“I have learned that even if a character is completely the opposite of myself, there are still elements of myself that are in the character, so really it’s still a piece of me I am putting on that stage,” Palacios-Cardenas said. “This character is very feisty and she’s mean and she’s loud, and that’s the opposite of what I am, but I can be that way sometimes and I think I’ve had to learn she’s not the opposite of me.”

Eden Sides, a theatre senior, plays Susannah Cibber. Sides is looking forward to putting on a show that is entertaining while also highlighting darker, more serious themes such as the mistreatment Susannah undergoes at the hands of her husband.

“Some parts of Susannah’s story are uncomfortable or can even be triggering for some people, but it still needs to be talked about,” Sides said. “This still happens. Her story is someone’s story today, so it’s still relevant.”

“Joyful Noise” will touch on the story of Christ and emphasize that redemption is always possible, propelling the CBU community into the Christmas spirit, Bortat said.

“It is this story about redemption and overcoming both our personal demons and the demons of the world that would seek to destroy us and persisting in order to find human thriving on the other side of those trials and tribulations,” Bortot said.

Joyful Noise
When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18-19; Dec. 1-2; 2 p.m. Nov. 19, Dec. 3
Where: Wallace Theatre, California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA, 92504
For tickets or more information, please visit https://calbaptist.edu/theater/current-production

 

CBU has record-breaking year for charitable gifts

Fiscal year 2022 was a record-breaking success for charitable giving at California Baptist University. Thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents, corporations, foundations and community members, $23.8 million was committed to furthering CBU’s mission. Donors generously contributed to schools, colleges and programs across the university—surpassing the previous giving record in 2014 ($14.2 million) by over $9.6 million.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our alumni and friends! This extraordinary outpouring of support is a testament to the Lord‘s favor on CBU, the generosity of our friends, the leadership and vision of CBU president Dr. Ronald L. Ellis and the overall excellence that we see across campus here at CBU. It’s exciting to see so many invest so significantly in this wonderful campus and in our students,” said Paul J. Eldridge, J.D., vice president of University Advancement.

For several years, the University has matched any endowment gift of $25,000 or more. In 2021, a generous supporter and close friend of CBU proposed a $40 million Endowment Challenge for the School of Christian Ministries. He pledged up to $10 million to match gifts, and CBU would match both, creating a $40 million goal. The donor then proposed endowed scholarships helping students complete two majors—one from the School of Christian Ministries and one from any other CBU school or college—or for other endowment programs associated with the School of Christian Ministries. True to CBU’s commitment to the Great Commission, the donor’s intention of these double-major scholarships is to challenge CBU students to deepen their Christian worldview and glorify God wherever life leads them. This donor match, plus CBU’s institutional match, quadruples an investment in these special endowed scholarships.

Several transformational gifts led the extraordinary giving:

• A generous local family gave $5.5 million, one of the most significant endowment gifts in CBU’s history. With the $40 Million Endowment Challenge match, as well as additional donations, a $19 million endowed fund was created. This endowment will serve generations of CBU students.
• The most significant estate gift commitment in university history was given in the amount of $6.2 million.
• An anonymous donor committed over $1 million to Lancer Athletics.

Every gift, no matter the size, can be transformational in the life of a student. CBU is thankful for the prayers, friendship and financial generosity that ensure the next generation of CBU students will live their purpose, invest in things that matter and become individuals whose skills and integrity set them apart from the world.

“Through your giving, I am blessed to call Cal Baptist University my school. I am a double major in Christian behavioral science and Christian studies. These programs have proven to be beyond my expectations and contributed to my personal, spiritual and professional growth. Thank you for being a part of making my aspirations and desires come true.” —Olivia, a CBU student

 

Lancer Media Group earns multiple awards

Students in the Lancer Media Group brought home more than 28 awards last month from multiple competitions.

Students attending MediaFest22 in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 26-30 won honors from the College Media Association’s Pinnacle Awards and the Associated Collegiate Press’ Pacemaker Awards.

At the Pinnacle Awards, Pursuit magazine earned a second-place award for writing and a third place for best page/spread design. The 2022 Angelos yearbook, “Restructure,” won third place for Yearbook of the Year and second place for best sports page/spread. CBU TV’s Ignacio Dominguez and Lauren Brooks received third for Best Multimedia Breaking News Story for “John W. North Teacher on Leave.” LMG’s Instagram Page, @cbulancermedia, won third place for Best Social Media Main Page.

At the Pacemaker Awards, Pursuit magazine’s Luc Stringer, Camille Grochowski and Caleb Chong won second place for Magazine Cover Design of the Year. Anyssa Gonzalez and Kia Harlan earned fourth place for Yearbook Cover Design of the Year, and Stringer received fourth place in the Feature Story of the Year category for his story “Our 9/11: How COVID-19 Changed Everything, Again.” Additionally, Pursuit magazine earned a Pacemaker as one of the top magazines for its Spring 2022 magazine, and CBU TV was a finalist in Broadcast Program of the Year.

The Associate Collegiate Press also presented Best of Show awards. Every Lancer Media Group publication placed in the top seven, with Angelos yearbook earning second place. CBU TV’s Dominguez received third place in the Broadcast News Story for Fairview fire continues to grow.

Broadcast journalists from CBU TV traveled to Baltimore for the College Broadcasters Inc. National Student Electronic Media Convention on Oct. 26-29. In CBU TV’s first time competing in the contest, Dominguez took home a second-place award for Best Feature News Reporting, and Ivania Montes took home second for Best Sports Reporting.

“It’s exciting and encouraging to see the hard work of LMG students recognized by professionals in all three of these competitions, especially alongside top-notch programs across the country,” said Sonya Singh, director of student publications. “We love seeing students from other universities pick up copies of LMG publications, and we return inspired by their work as well. We’re so proud of our students and their commitment to producing good journalism that serves the CBU community.”

 

College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design marks 10 years

The College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD) at California Baptist University marked its 10th anniversary this fall.

The college started in 2012 with 173 students in three programs — art, film studies and graphic design. Today it has nearly 600 students and has added six additional programs: architecture, photography, illustration, interior design, art therapy studies and art education.

Mark Roberson, founding dean of CAVAD, said the program has changed a great deal and has grown from being a new kid on the block to a growing and respected force for Christian art and design in the United States.

“We uniquely prepare our graduates to live lives of kingdom impact in their chosen professions through a very strong, college-wide, faith integration system,” Roberson said.

The college is deeply respected across the spectrum of creative professions, he said.

“We have been able to see the accomplishments for our students, faculty and programs that have been beyond our hopes and expectations,” Roberson said. “CAVAD has grown into one of the biggest and most comprehensive art and design colleges at a Christian university in America.”

Bethany Brodwolf (‘22), who works at U Brands, said CAVAD was the place where she discovered who she was as an artist.

“Through the wisdom of my professors, CAVAD was where I decided to explore and embrace what I could uniquely bring to the table with my work,” Brodwolf said. “CAVAD prepared me to be a better designer in the real world by teaching me to celebrate others’ victories and know that the best thing I can do is be the unique artist God made me to be.”

The architecture program is now the largest such program at a religious university in the U.S. and has achieved full accreditation, Roberson said.

“Our architecture students have won regional and state design competitions, been named top in the country and received nationally competitive scholarships,” he said. “Additionally, our graphic design and illustration students have won multiple national gold ADDY awards, and our photography students have won major national and international awards.”

Andriani Sugianto (‘21) pursued a degree in architecture from CAVAD and said the program played a primary role in laying the foundation for her career. She works at SOM as a junior designer.

“CAVAD truly transformed my understanding of creativity and God, exposing me to the deep intertwining of what I once thought were two very separate things,” Sugianto said. “I strive to implement this renewed, Christ-centered mindset toward creativity.”

Dirk Dallas, program lead for graphic design and visual experience, has been part of the CAVAD faculty since day one. He said it has been a privilege to serve alongside so many gifted faculty members and to mentor talented young creatives.

“Under the CAVAD umbrella, we sought to design a unique, well-rounded interdisciplinary education through the Christian worldview,” Dallas said. “Through our approach, we have helped our students develop a richer understanding of truth, goodness and beauty so they can better influence, engage and inspire the world around them.”

Roberson hopes in another 10 years that CAVAD will be leading and shaping the conversation on Christian architecture, art, design and film in large ways.

“My deepest hope is that we will continue to be better at raising up and training leaders who go out into the world and proclaim the kingdom in and through their creative lives and professions,” he said.

 

Aviation science professor lands airport role

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, recently added a new role that will keep him grounded in aviation.

He became airport manager at the Riverside Municipal Airport on Sept. 30. He will continue to teach full time at CBU.

“I wake up every morning excited to get to the airport and get on the airfield,” Prather said.

He has been in education for 16 years, 10 of those at CBU where he started the aviation science program. He began his aviation career as assistant director of operations at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida.

“I really enjoy teaching. I enjoy helping my students be successful in the industry,” Prather said. “But I love airports, and to get back to airports and kind of my first love was an opportunity too good to pass up.”

The city of Riverside operates the airport, which has more than 150 tenants — individuals and companies that own aircraft — maintenance shops, several flight schools — including CBU’s — and a café. Additionally, the runways and taxiways need to be maintained, wildlife kept to a minimum and emergencies handled.

“Airports are really like small cities,” he said. “The airport manager oversees the operation of the entire airport.”

He admits to still figuring out how he’ll do both jobs. He will continue to teach 12 units per semester, but beginning in the spring, those will become mostly night classes.

“In the dynamic aviation environment, things are changing daily, and I can bring that back into the classroom,” Prather said.

In his first week, a plane had just departed when it started leaking oil. It returned, landing safely, with oil on the windshield and on the side of the aircraft. The cause was an oil filler tube lid that had not been secured tightly enough.

“I’ve always tried to stay active in the industry, but actually being on the field on a daily basis, I’ll experience things and address issues that I can share with students,” Prather said. “They’ll benefit from that current industry knowledge and experience.”

Students will also be able to conduct projects and ride along on airfield inspections.

“By bringing the airport into the classroom and bringing students out to the airport, there will be great opportunities for collaboration,” Prather said.

Working at the airport also will allow him to live out his faith.

“I know God will give me the discernment and the grace to really be light and salt,” Prather said. “I’m excited because I think if we’re open to God’s leading, then He gives us additional opportunities and expands our territory so that we can have even greater influence than we currently have.”

His wife and two teenage children are understanding of his busy schedule, Prather said.“My wife, Grace, is very supportive. At first, she questioned if I was crazy, which she’s done in the past,” he said. “But she knows that I operate at a certain tempo and I love to be busy.”

Prather said he is thankful the city of Riverside and CBU leadership were open to him doing both jobs.

“By combining my two passions, the airport benefits, the city benefits but also the students benefit. It’s this win-win-win situation,” Prather said.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Joshua Knabb, professor of psychology, Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, Dr. Robert Pate, professor of psychology, Dr. Jessie Lowell, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. John Park, assistant professor of psychology, published a study in Spirituality in Clinical Practice (Oct. 20, 2022). It was titled Lectio Divina for Trauma Symptoms: A Two-Part Study.

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, provided training in safety management systems for attendees of the National Business Aviation Association annual convention and exposition, held in Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 17-20.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ed Garrett, professor of sport and performance psychology, co-presented at the 2022 Association of Applied Sport Psychology annual conference in Dallas on Oct. 27. The lecture was titled The Novel Application of Sport and Performance Psychology in Medicine: Promoting Application Outside the Ballpark.

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Knabb, was interviewed on The Well Mind Podcast, with Dr. Benjamin Kohls. The title of the podcast is 21^st Century Christian Mental Health (Oct. 21).

 

 

 

 

Sonya Singh, visiting professor of journalism, was published in The Guardian on Oct. 19 for coverage of Taste of Soul, a street festival that reflects and celebrates the Black cultural experience. The headline was We ain’t done dancing: Los Angeles festival brings Black community together.

 

 

 

Kristin Beinschroth, assistant professor of radiologic sciences, was elected vice president of the California Society of Radiologic Technologists. She began the two-year term Nov. 5.

 

 

 

 

Psychological Services of Riverside, the training clinic for CBU’s PsyD program, was recently awarded a $30,000 Stebler Grant from Riverside Community Health Foundation. The grant will help support PSR’s partnership with Riverside Unified School District to provide therapy services to students in the schools.

 

Dr. Andy Herrity, professor of entrepreneurship and business, presented a paper at the annual national conference of the Christian Business Faculty Association in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on Oct. 22. It was titled How to Foster Psychological Safety for Stud​ents to Risk the Interpersonal Vulnerability of a Character-Building Exercise in the Classroom: Principles and an Empirical Test.

 

 

 

Dr. Shawn Wilhite, associate professor of New Testament, published an article, What is Lament? And how to help others lament, in The Gospel Coalition (Canada edition, Oct. 24).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Teresa Hamilton, professor of nursing, and Dr. Karen Bradley, dean of the College of Nursing, presented at the 26^th annual Sigma So Cal Odyssey Research Conference in Mission Valley, California, on Oct. 13. The presentation was titled Exploring Student Experiences In A Dedicated Education Unit.

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, professor of psychology, gave the 7^th Annual Evangelical Voices in the Academy Lecture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Wake Forest, North Carolina, on Oct. 25. The talk was titled Burning Neural Circuits: The Acts of Daily Formation.

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, associate professor of public health, was a panelist for a myCovidMD Fire Side Chat on Oct. 12. The panel discussed the role of the new student loan forgiveness and the pros and cons of such program on minorities and middle class.

 

 

 

 

Steve Morris, adjunct professor of education, presented a session at STEPCon22 at the Bournes Technology Center in Riverside on Oct. 11. The session was titled Choice Boards in the STEM Classroom.

 

 

 

Dr. Gaynell Vanderslice, assistant professor of business management, Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, and Dr. Monica O’Rourke, professor of kinesiology, presented a research paper at the University of New Mexico Mentoring Conference on Oct. 24-28. It was titled Rethinking Leadership Strategies to Improve Communication. Additionally, Pearson presented a paper titled Inspirational Mentoring with Leadership Education.

 

 

 

Dr. Melissa Croteau, professor of film studies, was chosen as a fellow for U.S.­-South Korea NextGen Creative Fellowship Program, which is run by USC’s Center on Public Diplomacy and the Korea Foundation. The fellowship included a trip to Seoul, South Korea, for the nine program fellows from Sept. 18-23. They visited major multimedia corporations, the Korean Film Council, and universities with film and public diplomacy programs, and attended events at the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival. In addition, Croteau presented at the Pacific Northwest Renaissance Society’s 65^th Annual Conference in Banff, Canada, on Sept. 16. It was titled Monsters in a Brave New World: Shakespeare and Ecocinema in HBO’s Station Eleven (2021-2022).

 

Dr. Jennifer Cruz, associate professor of music, and Dr. Barry Tan, adjunct professor of music, co-wrote an article in the Fall 2022 issue of the CAPMT Connect. Titled Sight-Reading for the Contemporary Pianist, the article details some of the authors’ work that they have incorporated into applied instruction at CBU, with practical approaches to piano lessons, preparing their students for success in the gigging economy.

 

 

Adrés Vera, assistant professor of New Testament, contributed several articles to the Biblia Temática de Estudio (B&H, October 2022). The study Bible, edited by Dr. Miguel Núñez, has over 50 articles on theological topics and over 200 theological devotionals and introductions. Vera’s articles include La Santidad de Dios (The Holiness of God) and El Mandato Cultural (The Cultural Mandate).

 

 

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Dr. John Shoup, professor of leadership studies, Dr. Troy Hinrichs, professor of criminal justice, and doctoral student Nora Gonzalez, presented at the International Leadership Association Conference in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 14. The presentation was titled Accelerating the Acquisition of Wisdom: How to Get Wisdom Sooner than Later and Before it is Too Late.

 

 

 

Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, co-authored a research paper published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (October 2022). It was titled Prenatal Depressive Symptoms, Self-Rated Health, and Diabetes Self-Efficacy: A Moderated Mediation Analysis. She also presented at the 36^th Annual Children’s Network Conference in Ontario, California, on Sept. 14. Her presentation was titled Surviving Motherhood: Trauma and Triumphs.

 

 

Di Rasmusson, administrative support specialist for communication sciences and disorders, was named employee of the month for November. Her nomination included the following statements: “Di’s position involves providing support for both the academic and clinical education units of our MS Speech-Language Pathology program. Since she joined our department two years ago, Di has applied her incredible organizational skills to create procedures for tracking student academic and clinical experiences and competencies. Di is a self-starter and takes the initiative of recognizing an area of need and attacking it head-on.”

 

 

Dr. Robert Shields, associate professor of computer information technology, co-presented at the 15th Annual Mentoring Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Oct. 26. The presentation was titled Peers as Mentors: Examining Virtual Peer Mentorship in the Workplace.

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Knabb, professor of psychology, and Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, published a study the journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice. It was titled The Christian Worldview Scale: An emic measure for assessing a comprehensive view of life within the Christian tradition.

 

 

 

The photography program had 79 students submit to the 2022 High School Showcase. Students from Riverside, Murrieta, Wildomar, Moreno Valley, Corona, Hemet and Hesperia submitted photos. On Nov. 4, more than 200 administrators, teachers, family and friends attended an appreciation that featured the photos.

 

 

 

Andrés Vera, assistant professor of New Testament, and his wife, Courtney, welcomed a daughter on Oct. 21. Lucy Anne Vera weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 19.5 inches. She joins sisters Elyce, 5, and Liliana, 2.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates