In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

SoCal news anchor, CBU alumna to speak at commencement

Amy Johnson (’90), a Southern California news anchor and reporter, will deliver both spring commencement addresses for California Baptist University on April 30. More than 1,400 students are expected to participate in two graduation ceremonies at the Citizens Business Bank Arena.

Johnson has worked as a general assignment reporter for the past 10 years for KCBS/KCAL and as a weekend morning anchor for the past three years.

Johnson, who grew up in Poway located in North San Diego County, said that from an early age she dreamed of becoming a television news reporter. Following in the footsteps of an aunt and a sister, she went to (then) California Baptist College on a volleyball scholarship. Johnson helped the Lancers win back-to-back Golden State Athletic Conference championships in 1988 and 1989. Johnson graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and went on to study broadcast communications at California State University, San Bernardino and San Bernardino Valley College, earning an associate degree.

Johnson said that writing for the student newspaper, The Banner, in her last year at CBU rekindled her dream of becoming a news anchor.

“[The college] was really the stepping stone that I needed,” Johnson said in regards to her career pursuits.

Johnson has been married for 12 years to George Huggins, a former military pilot who now works as a civilian at Naval Air Station Point Mugu. They have two son—Jacob, 11, and Aaron, 9, and the family resides in Ventura County.

The first of two CBU commencement ceremonies will take place at 1 p.m., honoring traditional undergraduate students and all nursing students. Graduate and Online and Professional Studies students will participate in the 7 p.m. ceremony. Both ceremonies will be held at Citizens Business Bank Arena, 4000 E. Ontario Center Parkway, Ontario, CA 91764.

 

Lancer baseball scores historic win in front of record crowd

Playing its first game in a Major League Baseball stadium, California Baptist University baseball drew the largest crowd ever—7,583—to witness a live Lancer sporting event in the history of the university. The first-place Lancers did not disappoint their fans, mounting a late-inning rally to beat Point Loma Nazarene University 5-2 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on April 20.

“This was a great experience, not many people get to pitch in Angel Stadium and on a professional mound,” said Tyson Miller, starting pitcher for the game. “This was what I imagined: big-league stage with a lot of people turning up and a good turnout from our CBU students. It was just a great environment and it was a great opportunity to play in this one.” Read full article here.

 

CBU claims multiple awards at national competition

California Baptist University racked up several communication awards at the Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition hosted by the Baptist Communicators Association (BCA) on April 15. CBU students and the university’s Marketing and Communication Division combined for 10 top-three finishes in various categories.

The BCA awarded first place to Pursuit magazine in the Total Package category for student entries.  Lauren Koski, a senior journalism major and the Pursuit editor-in-chief, won first place in the Feature Writing Division category for her story “The Quartet of the Vulnerable,” a story that depicts society’s most marginalized. Koski also won second place for her photographs accompanying a story of a CBU aviation student in flight.

“Through all three of CBU’s journalistic platforms — Pursuit magazine, The Banner newspaper and Angelos yearbook — I have been challenged to seek and release truth through journalistic means, no matter if that is a beautiful truth or an ugly one,” Koski said. “In writing ‘The Quartet of the Vulnerable,’ I sought to explore the deeply convicting truths of what it means to love ‘your neighbor as yourself’ as Christ has commanded of us.”

Students Conner Schuh and Makenna Sones won second place for a photo series and an opinion/editorial piece respectively that were featured in the Banner newspaper.

CBU’s Marketing and Communication Division won five awards including second place in the Communication and/or Marketing Strategy category for “Put Faith in the Journey” campaign.

The BCA awards are the latest communication recognitions for CBU. In March, students, faculty and staff won 29 awards, 17 for students, from the American Advertising Federation-Inland Empire chapter.

 

CBU students select top faculty, staff member of the year

Students at California Baptist University recently honored Jeff Lewis, assistant professor of intercultural studies, as the 2015-2016 Faculty Member of the Year and Jay Stovall, director of cultural and commuter programs, as Staff Member of the Year.

Lewis has taught at CBU for 17 years, teaching courses such as Introduction to Global Studies, Models of Discipleship and Marketplace Strategies for Global Advancement.  Lewis is also interim director of the Office of Mobilization; in July, he officially takes over the position.

“Being named Faculty Member of the Year is a great honor,” Lewis said. “It’s good to know that I can still connect with students.”

Lewis said he tries to create a global context for the Christian faith when he teaches.

“Western Christianity reinforces our self-centered view of the world, thinking we can manipulate God to yield to our plans and agenda,” Lewis said. “My goal in teaching is to challenge and awaken students to the reality that biblical Christianity liberates man from the slavery of living for self so that we might live completely engaged in the intimate pursuit of knowing Him and glorifying Him among the nations.”

Stovall (’10, ’12), who has worked at CBU for five years, primary responsibilities include overseeing student orientation programs and establishing and implementing programs that display the cultures represented within the campus community. He also works with the commuter population helping them to connect with the various campus resources available at CBU.

“I’m humbled and honored to be chosen by (the students),” Stovall said. “My goal is to serve and love on the students so to be chosen by them is a testament of God’s faithfulness and blessings.”

Stovall said he tries to treat the students like family.

“My main goal as I interact with students is to show them that they have eternal value,” he said. “I truly do care about them.”

The voting process, conducted by the Associated Students of California Baptist University (ASCBU) organization, was a two-tiered process. First, students nominated their choices for both recognitions. Next, the top 10 names in both categories were placed on the ballot with student Senate candidates.

 

Alumnus: treating addiction as disease is best for family, society

Treating addiction as a disease and working toward recovery is not only beneficial for the families but for taxpayers as well, Phil Breitenbucher (’00), told a California Baptist University audience.

Breitenbucher is a program director for Children and Family Futures, a not-for-profit organization based in Lake Forest, Calif., that seeks to help families affected by trauma, substance use and mental health disorders.  He has more than 15 years of experience in the management of public child welfare and community-based prevention services. Breitenbucher spoke as part of the School of Behavioral Science’s Culture and Justice Lecture Series on April 14.

Breitenbucher said the social worker’s job is “to improve the well-being of individuals and advocate for social justice in complex social issues.”

“Sixty to 80 percent of all child welfare cases in America are due to substance abuse as an underlying factor,” Breitenbucher said.

Substance abuse is the fastest growing reason for removal of children from their homes, Breitenbucher said. One of the programs he is involved in seeks to reunify families by treating addiction as a disease.

“We’re family centered, so right away we put child and mom back together again and treat them as a whole family,” Breitenbucher said. “That works much better because addiction really effects the whole family.”

Keeping families together can also help reduce the expensive costs of foster care that burden taxpayers, he said.

Although addiction and its effect on families can be a complex subject, Breitenbucher believes there is hope.

“All children deserve to be in safe, stable homes. Substance use disorder is very prevalent in our society,” he said. “Addiction is a disease and recovery is possible. As a community, if we rally around this issue of child welfare and substance use, we can keep kids safe, keep families together and save taxpayers’ dollars.”

 

CBU partners with KVSH Racing for 2016 Verizon IndyCar season

California Baptist University announced an innovative partnership with KVSH Racing for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar season starting with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

CBU was the primary sponsor of the KVSH No. 11 entry driven by Sebastien Bourdais for the Long Beach Grand Prix, April 15-17, on the streets of Long Beach, Calif. CBU will be an associate partner of the team for the remainder of the 2016 season.

The partnership will also allow students from the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering at CBU the unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collaborate with the KVSH Engineering team throughout the 2016 season including the 100^th Running of the Indianapolis 500.

“The time has come for us to focus intently on the next wave of engineering talent for the IndyCar Series,” said James “Sulli” Sullivan, KVSH co-owner. “This program gives California Baptist University an opportunity to give its engineering students a hands-on education into the world of high-performance vehicles and what makes them tick. These CBU students are some of the brightest we have seen and we’re all looking forward to having them as part of the KVSH Racing Team.”

The KVSH Racing/CBU College of Engineering program enabled 20 CBU engineering students access to the KVSH Racing engineering staff, the driver and mechanics, so they could observe and learn the intricacies of engineering high-performance IndyCars during the Long Beach Grand Prix. During the month of May, selected students will be embedded with the team for the 100^th Running of the Indianapolis 500 set for May 29 gaining out of the classroom experience and assist the team’s engineering staff with problem solving.

“This partnership will provide our students with access to top engineers in a sport that pushes the edge of performance, and I’m excited to see what engineering feats our students can accomplish under their guidance,” said Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the College of Engineering at CBU. “I’m also thrilled to­ receive their consultation for our new master’s in mechanical engineering degree offered this fall and for our vehicle technology lab planned to open with our new engineering building in 2018.”

Bourdais, who is contesting his 11^th IndyCar season and third with KVSH Racing, placed ninth at the Long Beach Grand Prix. The 37-year-old native of Le Mans, France, resides in St. Petersburg, Fla., and is the only driver to win four consecutive IndyCar championships (2004 -2007).

 

CBU Cheer wins 4th consecutive national championship

The cheerleading team at California Baptist University became the first All-Girls Division II cheerleading squad to win its fourth-straight National Cheerleaders Association Championship title on April 8.

“This team has worked extremely hard and we have told them all year long that the work is worth it,” said Tami Fleming, head coach of CBU cheer. “Today they proved that. What an honor to make history by winning our fourth national title. I am so proud.”

The win also keeps Lancers unbeaten streak, dating back to the 2013 season, alive.

Read the full story here.

 

Hundreds participate in CBU’s Grandparents Day

California Baptist University welcomed more than 200 grandparents of students for the fourth annual Grandparents Day on April 8.

Grandparents had the opportunity to participate in a full day of planned activities as they were given a glimpse into the lives of their grandchildren at CBU. Activities included chapel and an array of courses organized for the day such as 3D printing, CBU Culture, Turning Points in Baptist History, which were taught by CBU faculty, staff or community leaders. Additionally, they were also treated to a free lunch, a choir performance, campus tours and a Lancer baseball game.

William Schoellerman was pleased to have an opportunity to visit the university his granddaughter talks frequently about.

“I am happy to be able to meet and talk to the professors and the friends my granddaughter always talks about,” Schoellerman said. “Most of all I just want to spend time with [her].”

Grandparents’ Day is an opportunity for CBU and students to show appreciation for grandparents’ support and love, said Dr. Arthur Cleveland, vice president for Institutional Advancement.

“We are thrilled to have you here at California Baptist University,” Cleveland told the grandparents at the welcome session. “I want you to know that in all my years of working in education, your grandkids have a nice place to go to college. When I walk around campus, I get the feeling that students are happy to be here. They embrace each other and I often hear testimonies of the spiritual growth in the lives of students.”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Erin I. Smith, assistant professor of psychology, spoke at the Psychology Research Colloquium at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena on April 4.  Her talk was titled Why Religious Affiliation Matters: The Impact of Supportive Church Relationships on Development.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, assistant professor of environmental science, co-authored with students two presentations and a poster presentation at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego on April 9. Student Stephanie Lara presented the poster Environmental Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Inside a Model Colon. Student Cooper May gave the oral presentation Potential Phytotoxicity and Uptake of Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterials in Food Crops. Student Melissa Varela gave the oral presentation Fate and Aggregation Behavior of Graphene Oxide Nanomaterials in Aquatic Environments.

 

 

 

CBU’s American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter participated in the Pacific SouthWest Conference at California State University, Long Beach on March 31-April 2. Forty-one CBU students competed against 17 other schools in 15 events including steel bridge, concrete canoe and sports competitions. The CBU team placed second in Kan-jam, Mystery event and Ultimate Frisbee; fourth in concrete bowling, volleyball, and basketball; and sixth in environmental project.

 

 

Dr. Susan Studer, professor of education, presented and chaired sessions at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in Washington, D.C., April 8-12. She also presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Curriculum Historians in Washington on April 7-8. Her presentations were on Dewey, Parker, Blaine, and the Chicago Laboratory School: Potential for Success or Failure of Egos. The sessions she chaired were The Role of the State in International Education and Influential Thinkers and Their Legacy in the History of Education.

 

 

 

Dr. Derek Updegraff, assistant professor of English and creative writing, read poetry at the Salvage Lounge in Los Angeles on April 1. The group poetry reading was sponsored by the literary journals Rock & Sling, Ruminate and Windhover, and the publisher WordFarm Press. The event was an off-site reading for the conference of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Updegraff also recently published two short stories. Into the Ends of the World appeared as a one-story chapbook in the Overtime series and The Butcher’s Tale appeared in Palooka.

 

 

 

Dr. Sandra Romo, assistant professor of journalism and public relations, and Dr. Heather Hamilton-Stilwell, assistant professor of journalism, presented a paper, A Rhetorical Examination of Social Constructionism and Communication, at the National Social Science Association Annual Meeting held in Las Vegas on March 22. Romo also presented another paper, Talking About Autism: Using Entertainment to Teach Children About Autism, at the event.

 

 

 

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science, Dr. Wonpyo Park, visiting scholar in the natural and mathematical department, Stephanie Lara, environmental science major, and Chau Nguyen, biology major, presented a poster and an oral presentation April 9 at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. The oral presentation was titled Dissolution of Biosolid-Borne Metals of Soils. The poster presentation was CBU Campus Soil Properties and Reactions of Organic Acids with Biosolid Treated Soil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Nathanael Heyman, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Daniel Szeto, associate professor of biology and biochemistry, and four biology majors co-authored a poster that was presented at the April 9 at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Biology majors Kathy Gomez, Amairani Villa, Audrie Minnich and Ivan Landa presented the poster titled Cardiovascular Physiological Analysis in Zebrafish: From Fish to Cells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merritt Robinson, assistant dean of enrollment services for Online and Professional Studies, was honored April 1 at Rice University in Texas at the “Celebrating Trailblazers in Rice Athletics” event. Robinson was one of 15 African-American alumni recognized for being the first to letter in their respective sports. Robinson, a three-year letterman (1988-90) in baseball and football, was Rice University’s first African-American student to letter in baseball. Read the full story here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Montgomery, dean of Spiritual Life, was elected as second vice chairman for the board of trustees at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary on April 18. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is located in Louisville, Ky.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Art Cleveland, vice president for University Advancement, and his wife, Vicki Cleveland, director of institutional research, welcomed their second great-grandchild on April 7. Kellen Michael Fabry weighed 9 pounds and 2 ounces and measured 22 inches long. His older sister, Emberlyn, is 3. The Clevelands also have 7 grandchildren.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Dr. Micah Parker named citizen of the month in Riverside

Dr. Micah Parker, director of athletics at California Baptist University, was named April Citizen of the Month by the mayor of Riverside, Rusty Bailey.

“Dr. Parker is a great example of how California Baptist University is helping students to ‘live their purpose,'” Bailey said on why he chose Parker for the recognition. “The university is a blessing for Riverside, and Dr. Parker leads the Athletic Department toward excellence in athletics and academics in a faith-based environment.”

The 2015-16 year marks Parker’s seventh year as the head of the athletics department at CBU. During his time at CBU, the Lancers have had an unprecedented run of success, leading Parker to also be named The Press-Enterprise Most Influential Sports Figure in the Inland Empire in 2015.

During Parker’s tenure, CBU made the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II where the Lancers had 12 of 19 NCAA programs qualify for postseason in their first year of eligibility (2013-14). CBU now has 27 NCAA Division II conference titles. Additionally, CBU also has three individual NCAA Division II champions, two in women’s swimming and the other in wrestling.

Since joining the PacWest in 2011, CBU has won three of four Commissioner’s Cups — becoming the first school to do so — and is currently in first place in the 2015-16 standings.

Outside of CBU, Parker is also a Christian motivational speaker, speaking at national youth gatherings, faith-based businesses, school assemblies, church events, graduations and Fellowship of Christian Athletes groups.

 

Take advantage of opportunities, marketing exec tells students

Taking advantage of work experiences—even failures—is the key to career growth, Sam Pontrelli told California Baptist University students on April 5.

Pontrelli is the senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Monster Energy. His presentation was part of the Voices of Business lecture series hosted by the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business at CBU.

“It’s OK if you fail. You’re not going to come up with that next great idea if you’re afraid to fail,” Pontrelli said. “Everything that I perceived as a negative in my career all set me up for my job today.”

Pontrelli encouraged students to be patient in their career development.

“When you’re looking at your career and you’re not being promoted as quickly as you want to be, or you might get assigned something that’s a little bit different from what you want, try to make the best of it,” Pontrelli said. “See what you can do, make the most out of [the opportunity]. Learn how to be a leader within, so when the right opportunity comes along you’re prepared for it.”

It is vital for students to understand that careers are not formed instantaneously, he said.

“We all are kind of aggressive in nature and want to move up quickly. It will happen if you do the right things,” Pontrelli said. “It worked out great for me. It took a few detours but it all worked out.”

 

CEO says majority of wealthy people are small business owners

“The largest group of wealth [in the U.S.] is found in small business ownership,” Ron Burgess told the audience at California Baptist University on April 4.

Burgess is the CEO of RedFusion Media and author of “Finding Your Crack in the Market.” Burgess has been a business consultant on growth strategy for more than 30 years. The Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf School of Education at CBU hosted Burgess.

“There are wealthy people in [the business world], such as CEOs for large Fortune 500 companies, but they are a small percentage. The bulk of wealthy people are small business owners,” Burgess said.

Burgess said that 70 percent of the U.S. economy is comprised of small businesses, but only half of them survive after five years. He said his research indicates several noticeable traits of a successful small business.

“A well thought out competitive strategy and the ability of the business owner to become a leader are the two main characteristics of running a successful small business,” he said.

“It is the cherry on the top to have a successful business with a good leader,” Burgess said.

He said it is also important to find a business’s position in the market to ensure success.

“Consumers are influenced by brand, influenced by things that are not quantifiable, which is why you need to have a niche in the market and have a good image,” Burgess said.

 

Iorg speaks in CBU chapel on principles of forgiveness

“We need forgiveness and we need to give it, too,” Dr. Jeff Iorg told California Baptist University students at chapel on April 4.

Iorg is a pastor, author and president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to his service at the seminary, he was executive director of the Northwest Baptist Convention for nearly 10 years.

Iorg taught from Matthew 18:21-35, where Jesus presents the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.

“There are two principles that Jesus teaches out of this passage,” Iorg said. “First that we need forgiveness and the other that we must forgive others.”

Iorg said that just as the king forgave the servant of a debt he could never pay back, so God offers the opportunity for forgiveness for all those who ask for it.

“This is the good news, we can be forgiven,” he said. “You can go to God and ask God to forgive you and He will.”

The second part of the principle of forgiveness might be more difficult to do, Iorg said.

“We have to learn to forgive those who have hurt you deeply,” he explained. “We must learn to forgive those who wounded you in a way you didn’t deserve.”

Iorg gave a personal example from his past.

“My dad was a violent alcoholic man that beat my mom,” he said. “I despised him and carried along bitterness and anger into adulthood. I tried to mask these feelings by becoming a perfectionist.”

“I had a friend who saw through the mask of perfectionism and confronted me on the issue of forgiveness,” Iorg recalled. “He then helped me work through forgiveness for several years.”

“Failing to forgive the other person doesn’t do any harm to the other person, just yourself,” Iorg said. “Forgiveness sets you free.”

Iorg said forgiveness does not mean the absence of consequences. Rather, it is coming to the belief that God will deal with the people that harmed you.

 

CBU staffer, alumna performs national anthem at Lakers game

Morgan Teruel (’14), career counselor at California Baptist University, shone brightly to the applause of more than 18,000 cheering fans as she performed the national anthem at the Los Angeles Lakers game on April 3.

Teruel, who often leads worship at Sandals Church in Riverside, graduated from CBU with a bachelor’s degree in music education. She credits her many concert performances as a student with giving her the ability to sing before audiences.

Although she had never performed in front of an audience as large as a Lakers game, Teruel said God gave her the courage she needed for the occasion.

“I felt good about the overall performance. I’m always self-critical of little mistakes or sounds that did not come out the way I hoped or prepared for,” Teruel said. “I felt like God gave me the confidence and strength I needed at that moment to fully be present and enjoy the anthem and the opportunity.”

Teruel said she is always interested in opportunities to develop her singing talent.

“I’m trying to be a faithful steward of my gift, even if that means trying to take a risk like singing the national anthem.”

Last summer Teruel sought help among her CBU “family” to create an a cappella promotional recording of the national anthem. She reached out to Bryan Engle, assistant athletic director for facilities/game management, and he offered her the opportunity to record her promo at the James W. Totman Baseball Stadium. Jonathan Nyquist, an adjunct professor of graphic design at CBU, helped produce the recording that afforded Teruel a chance to visualize performing in a stadium setting.

Teruel sent the finished product to several professional teams in hopes of landing an opportunity to sing the national anthem at a sporting event.

Lisa Estrada, vice president of entertainment and facilities for the Los Angeles Lakers, said she had a musical talent cancel before Sunday’s Lakers game and that Teruel was the next person on the list to call.

Teruel gladly accepted the invitation, which also included courtside tickets for seating near celebrity athletes David Beckham and Floyd Mayweather.

“It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life so far and I feel immensely grateful for the opportunity,” Teruel said.

Watch Teruel’s performance here.

 

CBU students plant trees to celebrate Spring Arbor Day

Nearly 60 California Baptist University students celebrated Spring Arbor Day by planting 15 trees on April 2.

The event was organized by the university’s Facilities and Planning Services and the Environmental Science Club at CBU. Volunteers planted trees in the CBU parking lots and around the exterior of campus. The club’s goal is to do its part to better the environment and the community.

The Arbor Day Foundation recently recognized CBU as a 2016 Tree Campus USA for the second consecutive year.

“We are committed to planting and maintaining trees on campus,” said Ed Schmachtenberger, grounds and landscaping manager at CBU. “Trees add so much to our campus plus they are great for the environment and community.”

The volunteers worked several hours to dig holes and then to plant the trees.

Anthony Ballinger, a biology senior, said he planted his first tree at the event and enjoyed getting his “hands dirty.”

Gabriella Seratti, an environmental science junior, said the event was a career preparation opportunity.

“I love trees,” Seratti said. “I want to go into forestry after graduation, and I think this event was a good starting point for me to learn more about trees.”

 

First CBU Small Groups album now available on iTunes

The Collinsworth School of Music released its first Small Groups album, “When I Laid It Down,” in March for CD distribution and now it is also available by digital download through iTunes.

Eight vocalists and three instrumentalists recorded songs for the project; the album is composed of 13 Christian contemporary songs.

“We were looking for the best blend tonally with all eight voices,” said Dr. Judd Bonner, dean of the Collinsworth School of Music. “The strongest vocalists that could also blend the best together and make the most dynamic group were chosen.”

CBU has five vocal Small Groups, each with seven to nine members per team that perform in local churches and other venues several times each month. Additionally, each summer, two student-led groups travel across the U.S. on an eight-week concert tour, singing and ministering in churches, schools and summer camps. Now audiences that hear the Small Groups in concert will have the opportunity to take similar music home.

CBU composition graduate students Connor Smith (’15) and Desmond Clark (’14) collaborated to write and arrange six songs for the new album.

“It’s an unbelievable blessing and gift to know that my God-given talents and my bachelor’s degree are being put right back into ministry,” Clark said.

“The opportunity to have my music recorded is huge to me,” Smith said. “My songs have now gone beyond myself and they’ve gone beyond the people I can sing to and it’s cool to be a part of that.”

 

“Pirated!” takes over Wallace Theatre

The theatre program at California Baptist University is ending its 2015-16 season by bringing a comedy to the Wallace Theatre starting on April 8.

“Pirated!” is a clever and zany re-imagining of the classic “The Pirates of Penzance” by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. This screenplay adaption comes from James C. Christian and is set to a 1930s movie studio when talking pictures are the new hot thing. As the director attempts to film a movie, the voices behind the actors revolt and take over the studio.

“It’s light-hearted entertainment. If they (audience) don’t laugh at least 10 times during the production, I have failed,” joked Lisa Lyons, a theatre adjunct and director of the production.

Katie Shaw, a business administration senior, plays a silent film star. Shaw said she has enjoyed learning how to express her role without words since her character does not speak in the first act.

“She is very over dramatic with her physical actions, which has been my favorite part,” said Shaw in describing her character. “I have loved finding different physical actions that portray her personality, so the audience can see how high maintenance she really is.”

Bryan Richardson, a theatre senior, plays Daniel Brown, the lead vocal actor. Having the opportunity to do a comedy has been a highlight for him.

“This show is supposed to be fun and over-the-top,” he said. “I hope our audience can come to this show and just escape for a couple of hours.”

“Pirated!”

When: April 8-9, April 14-16, at 7:30 p.m.; April 9, April 16, at 2 p.m.
Where: Wallace Theatre, California Baptist University
Tickets: General admission $15, CBU Faculty and Staff $12, CBU students $10
Tickets or questions? Call the theatre box office at 951- 343-4319 or email: mhyde@calbaptist.edu

 

CBU Army ROTC earns top spots at national drill competition

Two teams from California Baptist University’s Army ROTC marched to success in the color guard event at the John J. Pershing Memorial Drill Competition held in March in Chantilly, Va.

The female squad, the only all-woman squad among 22 teams, won first place, and the men’s team took third in the event.

Cadets on the winning CBU team were Shannon Garcia, Bryanna Mora, Sheraya Bentick and Imelda Camaja. Cadets on the men’s team were Caleb Fink, Joshua Fink, Kevin Grebbien and Kendal Morris.

“It was definitely an honor, being the only all-female team to take first place,” Bentick said. “Our team worked so hard for hours and hours on end, meticulously practicing to perfect our routine…  Our performance was the best run through of our routine that we had ever done. I am more than proud of our team and what we have accomplished.”

Although the two CBU teams competed for the same prize, they still were rooting for each other.  When the men’s team was docked for doing a command wrong, they told the women’s team in hopes they would avoid the same error.

“We may have gone up against each other, but we would always help each other out,” said Fink, who also placed second in the individual drill knockout competition. “There was some friendly teasing before the competition, but we really wanted both teams to do their best.”

This is the third consecutive year CBU teams have returned with awards. In 2015, the men’s team placed third in the color guard event and 2014, the men’s team took first place in the same category.

Pershing Rifles is an ROTC related national organization that was started by Lt. John J. Pershing in 1894 when he was the professor of military science at the University of Nebraska. Pershing Rifles drill teams compete in several categories, including squad regulation drill, platoon exhibition drill, individual drill and color guard.

 

Professor, alumna collaborate on beauty product campaign

Gwyneth Paltrow’s new skin-care product line owes a touch of its advertising inspiration to a professor and an alumna from the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design at California Baptist University.

Crème Collective, a beauty sales agency, was hired to create the ad campaign for Goop, which allowed Trever Hoehne (’06), assistant professor of graphic design at CBU, and alumna Kayla Adams (’10) to join forces on the project. Adams was the art director for the project and Hoehne was the photographer.

Adams, whose role in the Goop campaign was to determine how to best represent the product visually, started her career in 2011 by creating her own design studio that specializes in web, brand and print design before being hired on as the art director for Crème Collective. She has worked with online retailers including 31 Bits, Plum Pretty Sugar, and Raven + Lily.

“It’s always a dream to be able to work with clients who have great taste, and (Paltrow) is no exception to that,” said Adams.

Adams said her experience at CBU helped build the foundation for her professional career.

“There’s no doubt that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the team that runs the design program [at CBU],” she said. “They’ve connected me with some of my current clients, encouraged me to grow my business, and have been my biggest supporters even though I graduated years ago. They gave me a great foundation that I’ve been able to build on as I’ve grown as a designer.”

Hoehne and Adams have worked together professionally in the past and have come to appreciate each other’s perspective.

“It is fun being able to work with someone you know and trust,” said Hoehne, who is also a fashion photographer and has worked with clothing and jewelry companies including Oscar de La Renta and Nordstrom. “We share the same creative DNA in some ways. We know what to expect from each other and our visual styles pair very well.”

Hoehne said Paltrow was amazing to work with.

“Because it was her campaign, she knew what she was going for,” he said. “Sometimes these shoots can take 10 hours to actually shoot in studio. She got in front of the camera, and we probably took 20 frames because she was so good.”

 

CBU comes away “Golden” at advertising awards

Students, faculty and staff at California Baptist University combined to win 10 gold awards from the American Advertising Federation-Inland Empire (AAF-Inland Empire) awards gala on March 18. A CBU faculty member also won Best of Show in the professional category. In total CBU won 29 awards, 17 were student awards.

CBU students Brittany Hatch, Colton von Pertz, Jacob Gonzalez and Jessica Schoellerman all won gold awards for various design projects.

Michael Berger, program director for graphic design and photography at CBU, said the award process helps CBU students on several levels. Students get to make connections with other schools and design communities at the award ceremonies. Additionally, the awards act as a barometer for students’ quality of work. Furthermore, the prospect of an award gives the students something fun to work toward during the year.

Berger won two gold awards—one for his work on a digital media brochure that also won Best of Show and the other was for a photography brochure for the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design, where he worked collaboratively with CBU graphic design professors Trever Hoehne and Dirk Dallas.

CBU’s Marketing and Communication Division also won three gold awards: one for the “Put Faith in the Journey” campaign, another for the “Brand Yourself” campaign and the third for a direct mailer it created for the Lancer Athletics Association.

Local Gold and Best of Show winners will advance to the regional competition with a chance to move up and compete at the national level.

To see photos and a complete list of winners in all categories, visit http://aaf-inlandempire.com.

 

CBU Cheer wins fifth straight USA College Championship

The Lancers continued their dominance in cheerleading with their fifth-straight USA College Championship victory March 20. The title keeps the Lancers undefeated since 2013.

“The USA competition is always a great step in the process of getting the team ready for nationals,” said head coach Tami Fleming. “I am extremely proud of the performance the team put out on the floor in finals and that the hard work has paid off. It is an honor to be the five-time USA College Champions.”

The Lancers will compete in Daytona Beach, Fla., for the National Cheerleaders Association Championships on April 7-8, where they have grabbed an unprecedented three-consecutive championship titles.

Read full story here.

 

Fighting poverty starts with how we see people, speaker says

“A central reason for addressing poverty is because people are made in God’s image,” Dr. Art Lindsley told the audience at California Baptist University on March 21.

Lindsley is the vice president of theological initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work and Economics in McLean, Va. The institute’s mission is to educate Christians to live out a biblical theology that integrates faith, work and economics. Lindsley is also the co-editor of “For the Least of These: A Biblical Answer to Poverty.”

The School of Christian Ministries at CBU hosted the lecture.

Lindsley reiterated the point that people are all created in God’s image with a quote from C.S Lewis; “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts and civilizations—these are mortal.”

Lindsley challenged students to live out the revelation that “there are no ordinary people.”

“It would be interesting to see that if for one day you could truly live out this idea that people are made in God’s image on this campus,” he said. “When you look everybody in the eye and affirm them that they’re not invisible, that they’re present, that they are a person of worth and value and dignity—that would be worth doing for one day wouldn’t it?”

Viewing others in this way is the first step to combatting poverty in a biblical way, but the Bible also provides insight into the practical issues of poverty such as jobs and businesses, Lindsley said.

Instead of giving things to the poor, believers should work on enabling people to work for themselves, he said. Small business is a great way to do that, and Jesus himself was a small businessman, Lindsley said.

“I think particularly in the Bible and in Christianity you have this place of the importance of enterprise and business,” he said.

 

Alumna named an “Inspiring Woman” at local college

Daniela Medina (’15) was named one of the 2016 Inspiring Women of Mt. SAC in honor of National Women’s History Month. The award given by Mt. San Antonio College is based on a person’s character, involvement in community service and personal and academic achievements.

Medina is an athletic trainer at Canyon High School in Anaheim, Calif., and she has been in the U.S. Army Reserves for the past 14 years and served overseas in Kuwait and Iraq. She earned her associate degree from Mt. SAC in 2009, her bachelor’s from California State University, Fullerton in 2013 and her master’s in athletic training from California Baptist University.

Dr. Jolene Dickert, associate professor of athletic training at CBU, remembers Medina as a compassionate and helpful person. The two of them were part of a CBU team that traveled to East Africa on a Global Engagement trip in June 2014. It was no surprise for Dickert that Medina received the honor for inspiring women.

“It was an amazing experience to see (Medina) evaluate and treat patients in another country while also showing an incredible amount of compassion for each of her patients,” Dickert said. “Daniela is an incredible person and professional, and so I am not surprised at all that she has been chosen as an Inspiring Woman of Mt. SAC.”

Medina tries to lead by example in the care she shows others in her life.

“I would hope to positively influence my students and be a role model that they would like to emulate, especially when caring for others,” she said. “In the military, more than anything, I try to lead by example, and show my interest and concern for my soldiers while working right by their side.”

Family Updates

Dr. Joshua Knabb, assistant professor psychology for Online and Professional Studies, had a book published last month. Faith-Based ACT for Christian Clients (Routledge) balances empirical evidence with theology to give clinicians a deep understanding of not just the “why” but also the “how” of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Christian clients.

 

 

 

 

Three Nutrition and Food Sciences students won third place in the Southern California Food Industry Conference undergraduate research competition held in Anaheim March 10. Students Annalise Rosik, Jadah Stance and Maria Perez developed the concept for the food product and took it through all the steps for new product development in the food industry. The criteria included using organic ingredients, brown rice, and two other uncommonly used plant-derived ingredients that have health benefits. The students developed brown rice herb crusted pizza with tomato and algae protein sauce and celeriac root toppings.

 

 

 

Dr. David Pearson, interim dean of the College of Health Science, is a member of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Committee and provided administrative oversight to the national championship tournament held in Sioux Falls, S.D., on March 11-12.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Daron Hubbert, director of Residence Life, was named CBU’s Employee of the Month for April. The nomination form included the following statements: “Upon receiving the initial report regarding the possibility of moisture within The Cottages, Daron demonstrated initiative by immediately developing a relocation plan, which included challenging his staff to identify housing assignments that would have the least amount of impact on the sense of community formed with each cottage. As a result of Daron’s leadership and initiative, the University was able to (continue) to offer a residence life program that is recognized as the best in California (2016 Best College Dorms, colleges.niche.com).”

 

 

 

The first steel beams for the CBU Events Center went up early on March 21. The $73 million project will result in a 5,050-seat arena that will showcase some of the CBU athletics teams and provide much needed space for CBU’s chapel program.

 

 

 

 

 

Amy Leonard, assistant director of development for University Advancement, was recently named as one of Corona’s “40 under 40” in Corona the Guide. According to the guide, the list honors the city’s most accomplished young leaders who are committed to business growth, professional excellence and community service. Honorees are nominated by their peers and friends and selected by a panel of independent judges.

 

 

 

Almost 600 high school students attended the Inland Coalition Health Professions Conference held at California Baptist University on March 17. The conference serves students from across San Bernardino and Riverside counties, as well as the Pomona Valley area, exposing them to higher education and the many healthcare professions available.

 

 

 

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, assistant professor of environmental science, presented research, Environmental Implications of Engineered Nanomaterials in the Environment, at the Exchange Club of Hemet-San Jacinto Valley in Hemet on March 17. The Exchange Club is a national service organization.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, associate professor of civil engineering, presented two posters at the first International Conference on Grand Challenges in Construction Materials in Los Angeles on March 17-18. The posters were titled Effect of Fly Ash Particle Size on Early Creep of Self-Consolidating Concrete and Finite Element Modeling for Predicting Creep of Self-Consolidating Concrete Containing Supplementary Cementitious Materials.

 

 

 

Dr. Thomas Ferko, professor of chemistry, and Dr. Patrick Schacht, assistant professor of biochemistry, made a presentation, Engaging Science Majors in a Service-Based Discipleship Program, at the American Scientific Affiliation’s Southern California Christians in Science 2016 Winter Day Conference held at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena on Feb. 27.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, assistant professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper on African immigrants’ Knowledge and Perceptions of the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa at the Northwest Regional Conference on African Immigrant Health held in Seattle on March 19-20. Dr. Dominick Sturz, associate professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, co-authored the paper.

 

 

 

Dr. Lisa Hernández, associate professor of mathematics, had a children’s book, Look, Math Is Fun!, published (Archway Publishing) in February. Illustrated by Lisa Beth Orona, a graphic design sophomore, the book follows a little girl through her garden as she discovers many mathematical wonders.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Natalie Winter, associate professor of marketing, and Ryan Falsetti, undergrad admissions counselor, presented Media & Marketing Communications to four classes in the Media & Arts Academy of Arlington High School in Riverside on March 14. Also, Winter presented Generations at Work to the County of Riverside’s department directors on March 17. The presentation was focused on raising up the next generation of organizational leaders.

 

 

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, presented a paper at the XVII Congreso Internacional de Literatura Hispánica held in Mérida, México, on March 9-11. The paper was titled The Objective, the Method, and the Practice: Ideas for the Development of an Upper Division Seminar on Literature and Ecocriticism.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, taught a four-day workshop on airport operations to 45 airport professionals at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, N.C., on March 28-31.

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU wrestler becomes program’s first NCAA Div II champion

Lancer heavyweight wrestler Joseph Fagiano became the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II champion on March 12, capturing CBU’s second individual NCAA D-II championship in less than a week.

Fagiano, a Chicago native earned his spot at the final match by pinning fifth-seeded Austin Goergen in one minute, fifteen seconds in the semifinal bout of Division II competition.

In the final matchup of the tournament and Fagiano’s career, he faced off against Malcolm Allen of Minnesota State University, Mankato. Fagiano went on to win the match 6-3, and ends his CBU career with an impressive 29-5 mark.

Fagiano was the second CBU athlete to win an individual NCAA D-II championship in as many different sporting events in less than a week. On March 9, swimmer Christie Halverson won an individual NCAA champion by winning the 1000-yard freestyle.

Read more about Fagiano here.

 

Swimmer’s win gives CBU its second NCAA II championship

For the second time a California Baptist University swimmer has won a NCAA II championship. Christie Halverson, sophomore from West Linn, Ore., won the first race of the NCAA Division II Championships, with her 1000-yard freestyle victory, in nine minutes, 51.96 seconds.

It is the first time a Lancer has swum the event under the 10-minute mark, as Halverson bested the program’s previous record she held herself earlier this year (10:02.17) by more than 10 seconds. It was just off the Division II record of 9:50.49.

The victory also earns Halverson an All-American award, the second in her career as she earned honorable mention last year for her participation in the 800-year freestyle relay at last year’s championships.

Halverson also becomes CBU’s second-ever individual NCAA champion. Mary Hanson won the Lancers first NCAA title in the team’s first year as a fully fledged member in 2014, taking the 100 back in a then D-II record time of 52.45.

 

Tracking an Operation Christmas Child shoebox to journey’s end

It took two hours by car, boat and then by foot to reach their destination in Guyana, South America. The prize they sought was the joy in the schoolchildren’s eyes as they received shoeboxes filled with gifts. The sacrifices on the journey were made in an effort to spread the Gospel message and it was worth the trip, said Julie Dobbins, assistant director of chapel and compassion ministries at California Baptist University.

Dobbins was given an opportunity to travel to Guyana to deliver shoeboxes with Operation Christmas Child (OCC) last month. Her team of 10 people handed out about 220 boxes at three schools. Dobbins saw firsthand that the kids loved balls and that toy cars with big wheels work better on dirt.

The local OCC volunteers “view this as a gospel opportunity. It’s worth it, to do the work, to raise the money,” Dobbins said. “It gives them an avenue into people’s lives to be able to share the Gospel with them.”

Dobbins has been involved with Operation Christmas Child (OCC) since California Baptist University started participating in OCC’s shoebox drive four years ago. She has coordinated efforts with other departments on campus, sought donations for the shoeboxes and organized the packing parties that have resulted in more than 1,700 shoeboxes being packed to date at CBU.

Her trip to Guyana gave her a fresh perspective on all the labor of love that goes into a successful delivery, she said.

Despite its name, the shoeboxes are usually not handed out at Christmas time. Some countries do get them closer to the holiday, but some countries do not celebrate Christmas, Dobbins said. The main reason for the delay is logistics. The shoeboxes are counted and then run through a quality check process to ensure they contain certain items such as hygiene products, school supplies, a candy and a toy.  Additionally, OCC volunteers in Guyana coordinate and raise money for such things as renting storage space at the port and paying taxes.

Dobbins said she was grateful for the opportunity to go to Guyana and witness people around the world who love the Lord.

“That was so humbling and really encouraging,” she said. “It reminds you to be grateful for what you have and to be really intentional with how you participate with (OCC).”

 

First Hackathon at CBU helps students “catch a vision”

Students at California Baptist University were encouraged to use technology to spread the Gospel at the first Hackathon seminar.

“We want students to catch a vision and to understand they can help people and also spread the Gospel in their professional pursuits,” said Dr. Mi Kyung Han, assistant professor of computer science and event organizer.

CBU collaborated with Code for Kingdom ministries to host the event on campus on March 3-5.

Hackathons are traditionally known as an event were technologists work collaboratively on software projects. The Code for the Kingdom ministries put a twist on the concept of a hackathon. They aim to bring technologists and entrepreneurs together not to solve software problems but to focus on how they can spread the Gospel through technology.

Han said she had worked with this ministry in the past and wanted to bring the experience to CBU students.

CBU’s Hackathon featured speakers Chris Armas, founder of Code for the Kingdom ministries; Chris Lim, founder of TheoTech; LouAnn Hunt, digital Bible manager of Faith Comes by Hearing; Garry Williams, CEO of Cozzee; Dr. Kyungsoo Im, assistant professor of computing software and data science; Dirk Dallas, assistant professor of graphic design and graphic arts; and Han.

Lim, who spoke on March 4, created a prayer app called Ceaseless that helps create a community of prayer. The app selects three people to pray for a day and the online community comes together and prays for the people selected.

“Begin with God as your customer. Let His desires influence the work you do,” said Lim. “In all your time creating codes and working, don’t lose sight of the God you worship. I invite you to use your technological gifts to spread the Gospel.”

In addition to hearing from an array of presenters on how technology can be used to spread the Gospel, students also had the opportunity to pitch ideas to a panelist of CBU faculty and receive feedback on their potential endeavors.

 

CBU President urges restoring maximum Cal Grant awards

In a letter to the chair of a California Assembly budget subcommittee and other legislative leaders, Dr. Ronald L. Ellis has urged restoring maximum Cal Grant for students attending the state’s private, non-profit colleges and universities.

The California Baptist University president called on lawmakers to repeal all previous and pending reductions to the Cal Grant maximum award for students who attend a private, nonprofit college or university in California. He said the recommended action would restore the Cal Grant for students in the private, nonprofit sector to pre-recessionary levels of $9,708. Currently, the average award for those students is $8,800.

Ellis cited significant savings to the state resulting from Cal Grants awarded to students at private, non-profit schools compared with larger awards to students enrolled at the University of California and California State University systems.

“In other words, the State saves money by helping more Cal Grant students access a private nonprofit college or university,” Ellis said.

Click here to read the entire text of the CBU president’s letter.

 

Dr. Art Cleveland, CBU Advancement VP, announces retirement

Dr. Art Cleveland, vice president for University Advancement for California Baptist University for more than four years, has announced he will retire effective April 30, 2016.

Cleveland’s retirement comes after more than five decades in education as a professor and administrator. He served as CBU’s interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement for a year before being named in January 2012 to lead the division that was later renamed University Advancement.

“I have been honored to be a part of California Baptist University for nearly 10 years and University Advancement for about five of those,” Cleveland said. “I appreciate all the support I have been given at CBU, especially from President Ellis.”

Cleveland said he plans to move to a role outside of higher education to do more writing and pursue opportunities in consulting.

As CBU’s top development officer, Cleveland was involved in a number of significant achievements including an anonymous $10 million gift to the university announced in January, the first eight-figure gift in CBU history. He also led restructuring of the advancement team to provide focused fundraising support for a variety of academic programs and projects as well as CBU athletics.

Cleveland joined CBU as dean of research in 2006 after serving as president of Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska. He previously held a variety of faculty positions with six state universities and faith-based colleges in Georgia, South Dakota and Texas.

Cleveland received a Bachelor of Science in biology from the University of Texas, Arlington; and a Master of Arts in biology and Ph.D. in biology from the University of North Texas. A prolific author, he received several academic honors, published numerous papers and articles, and was invited to present papers around the globe.

“I am grateful for Dr. Cleveland’s contribution as a member of the CBU leadership team,” Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president, said. “We wish him all the best as he concludes a distinguished career in higher education.”

A national search will begin immediately to fill the vacancy created by Cleveland’s retirement, Ellis said.

 

Com students receive program’s first broadcasting awards

For the first time, California Baptist University communication students have received awards from the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Festival Competition.

Brady Bersano’s fictional feature, “The Good Man,” won 2nd place, and Lauren Koski and Randy Plavajka’s radio news story, “Through the Fence: Hazardous Opinions in the Arlanza Neighborhood,” won Honorable Mention in the category of audio production for the 2016 BEA awards. The students will receive their awards at the annual BEA convention in April.

“I’m just really proud of the work that they did, and they were able to be really truly be multimedia journalists. It speaks to the program,” said Heather Hamilton-Stilwell, assistant professor of journalism. “Our students have the talent. [This award is giving] them the opportunity to expose it.”

Bersano’s feature was a three-minute fictional story about a minor league baseball player who was facing several life dilemmas. Koski and Plavajka’s story were part of a larger project that a group of CBU journalism students investigated for a news reporting class. The students looked into a chemical spill and the alleged effects it has had on the community.

While working on the story, Koski, a journalism and new media senior, realized how important journalists are to those who need help “raising their voice.”

“I am excited we have received an honorable mention for this piece, but I am mostly just grateful for the experience we had while producing the story,” she said. “It not only gave us real-world experience, but also the opportunity to invest in lives off campus.”

Family Updates

Ted Meyer, dean of enrollment services for Online and Professional Studies, and Martin Lind, educational director from the Velocify Company,  gave a presentation on Four Ways to Unlock the Potential  of Your Admissions Team at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Chief Enrollment Officers Conference in San Diego on Feb. 8.

 

 

 

Dr. Gretchen Bartels, assistant professor of English, Richard Ardito, assistant professor of accounting, Dr. Dominick Sturz, associate professor of public health, Robert Hayden, visiting professor of communication, and Scott Dunbar, assistant professor of human resource management, all for Online and Professional Studies, participated in the Read-Across-America event at Adams Elementary School in Riverside on March 3. Each professor read children’s books to several classes of students, as well as participated in an classroom chat about the importance of reading.

 

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to students at Michael D’Arcy Elementary School in Fontana on March 9. She participated in the Career Day assembly and discussed careers in journalism, public relations and communication.

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Zamora, didactic coordinator for physician assistant studies, spoke at Arlanza Elementary School in Riverside for Career Day on March 2.  She talked about becoming a physician assistant and encouraged the students to pursue a higher education.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amy Gwilt, financial coordinator, and students Vanessa Lopez, and Giovanna Berrocal attended AICCU (Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities) Day in the Capitol on Feb. 23.  More than 100 participants attended the event to stress the importance of the Cal Grant program.

 

 

 

 

 

The Society of Actuaries has approved California Baptist University for Validation by Educational Experience (VEE) in the areas of Applied Statistical Methods, Economics, and Corporate Finance. Dr. Michelle Nielsen, assistant professor of mathematics, has been working to garner this approval for CBU. This approved VEE strengthens the actuarial science program, which is designed to prepare students to take the first two actuarial exams.

 

 

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, associate professor of civil engineering, and 18 engineering students on March 11 visited the construction site of the Wilshire Grand Center, a 73-story skyscraper, in downtown Los Angeles. It is set to open March 2017 and will be the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River.

 

 

 

 

 

The Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering and the CBU’s student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) hosted Dr. Norma Jean Mattei, president-elect of the ASCE, on March 11. Mattei spoke to students on Engineering the Future.

 

Dr. Douglas Barnett, adjunct of management for Online and Professional Studies, attended the Movement for African National Initiatives (MANI) conference March 7-11 in Ethiopia. Barnett made a presentation on Biblical entrepreneurship and its role in helping to create businesses and employment for church members, bivocational missionaries and tentmakers. The 560 participants came from more than 50 countries to assess progress made on reaching Africa’s unreached people groups with the gospel and to promote the further development of African missions.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, presented a paper at the Annual Conference of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish & Portuguese – Roger Anton Chapter, held at California State University at Fullerton on March 5. The paper was titled The Teaching of Ecocritical Theory and the works of Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel García Márquez, José Vasconcelos, Rodrigo Fresán and Rómulo Gallegos. Flores also was elected review editor of Studia Iberica et Americana: Journal of Iberian and Latin American Literary and Cultural Studies during the February 2016 gathering of the editorial board.

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, taught a one-day workshop, Effective Leadership in Business Aviation, at the Heli-Expo Convention held by Helicopter Association International in Louisville, Kentucky, on March 6. He also taught a one-hour workshop, Lead with enthusiasm!, at the Women in Aviation International Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 12.

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Flying high, CBU flight students land jobs before graduating

“I have a job waiting for me when I graduate. That’s such a relieving feeling to have,” expressed Hannah Maria Guajardo, a junior aviation science major at California Baptist University.

ExpressJet recently announced the conditional hiring of four CBU aviation students: Howard Dang, Amanda Snodgrass, Kyle LeVesque and Guajardo.

Guajardo, who is expected to graduate in spring 2017, has received a conditional job offer as a pilot. The offer is conditional based on her graduating from CBU and meeting various regulations and guidelines mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“I’ve been blessed by my experience at CBU,” said Guajardo, who was one of the first students to enroll in the flight school’s inaugural class in 2013. “The aviation community has been extremely supportive of achieving my dreams.”

For Guajardo, her desire to become a pilot started as a teenager, she said. A family friend who was a pilot for FedEx sparked her imagination.

“I thought about how cool it must be to fly,” she recalled. “I couldn’t get the thought of flying out of my mind.”

By the end of high school, Guajardo, a San Diego resident, was conducting a national search for a flight school. Coming to CBU was a “God thing,” she said.

“It feels good to live out your Christian life at CBU and to know that you have teachers and instructors who you can trust and turn to,” she said in regards to living out her faith.

Dr. Daniel Prather, chair of Aviation Science at CBU, said that as the first aviation science class nears graduation, receiving these conditional job offers are significant accomplishments.

“The industry pathway enhances the credibility of our program and gives students tremendous confidence in their choice of CBU for their flight training and higher education needs,” he said.

 

Accolades mount for CBU basketball teams as playoffs begin

After a successful regular season for the men’s and women’s basketball teams at California Baptist University, the fruit of their efforts are being recognized.

The women’s team recently received a No. 3 national ranking from the USA Today Coaches poll after finishing the year with a 27-1 overall record and a 19-1 mark in the PacWest. Jarrod Olson, head coach for the women’s team, was named PacWest Coach of the Year. Cassidy Mihalko, shooting guard who averaged a conference-best 20.1 points per game, earned a PacWest Conference first team recognition. She was also awarded the 2015-2016 CoSIDA Academic All-American Division II award that recognizes student-athletes across the United States and Canada as top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. Mihalko’s teammates Kamille Diaz and Courtney Nelson received All-PacWest second team recognition.

The women’s squad is riding a 20-game winning streak heading into the conference tournament. Since CBU and APU shared the regular-season conference crown with identical records, CBU is guaranteed a first-round bye in the PacWest Tournament, which starts Thursday. They will host the winner of Point Loma Nazarene University and Academy of Art University on Friday, March 3, at 2:45 p.m. at Concordia University.

After finishing tied for first place in the PacWest standings and tying its record for 24 wins in a regular season, No. 18-ranked California Baptist University men’s basketball team put three Lancers on the All-PacWest team, with one picking up the coveted Player of the Year award.

Junior guard Michael Smith was named PacWest Player of the Year. He led the PacWest in scoring with 20.6 points per game. He also received All-PacWest first team recognition.

Gelaun Wheelwright joined Smith on the first team, his second-straight, first-team honor. Jordan Giusti picked up Honorable-Mention recognition.

The Lancers start their run for a PacWest Conference Tournament title on Thursday, opening against Dominican University at 12:30 p.m. The game will be held at Concordia University.

 

CBU students display their talents at Woo Fest

Mix a snippet of “American Idol” with a bit of “America’s Got Talent” and you get the idea of Woo Fest at California Baptist University. More than 1,100 students attended the event held at the Van Dyne Gym on Feb. 26. The Woo Fest featured male students showcasing their talents, not for the admiration of a television audience, but to “Woo” the ladies at CBU.

“I noticed that women were complaining that we only had TWIRP,” said Jay Stovall, director of cultural and commuter programs, referring to The Woman Is Required to Pay week, where women ask men out. “The guys didn’t have anything to step up and do to win them over or spoil them in some sort of way. Thus birthed the idea of Woo Fest. It’s unbelievable the response that it has received over the years.”

Woo Fest has grown since debuting in 2009, when some 230 students watched the inaugural event. With a potential audience now numbering in the thousands, prospective performers must audition a month prior to Woo Fest in order to receive an invitation to the event. The staff of Residence Life narrowed down the performances through the audition and selected 10 routines that featured singing, poetry and various stage tricks.

“It was just a really fun night. It felt like prom again getting all dressed up with the girls on my hall,” said Adrianne Canady, a marketing freshman. “Once we got there, everything was so beautifully decorated and the acts were hilarious. I can’t wait to go next year.”

Stovall said that the evening has become a spectacle.

“It’s incredible and the memories of seeing guys step out of their comfort zones and display the gifts God has given them has been awesome,” Stovall said. “It’s just been a great way to bring the campus together and celebrate the gifts that God has given these guys and create a lifelong experience not just for the performers but for the audience as well.”

 

CBU earns repeat Tree Campus USA recognition

For the second consecutive year California Baptist University has earned a Tree Campus USA recognition.

To obtain this distinction, CBU met five core standards set by Tree Campus USA in order to maintain an effective campus forest management. The requirements consist of having a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and a student service-learning project.

“Your entire campus community should be proud of your sustained commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Mary Sweeney, program manager at Arbor Day Foundation, in an email to CBU on the award.

Tree Campus USA, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota, honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.

“Tree Campus USA is a distinction that the Arbor Day Foundation has come up with that says ‘We are all about trees,’” said Ed Schmachtenberger, manager of grounds and landscaping at CBU.

In December, for Autumn Arbor Day, CBU students, faculty and staff planted trees in parking lots and cultivated areas around existing trees.

Schmachtenberger said CBU has plans to plant up to 50 additional trees around campus.

 

Growing career fair brings job opportunities to students

Students packed the gym at California Baptist University’s Recreation Center as businesses and government agencies in Southern California presented various internship and job opportunities at the Business, Engineering and Communication Studies Career Fair on Feb 24.  In a span of three years, the fair has become the largest career fair on campus, growing from about 15 businesses that participated to more than 110 this year.

A couple of years ago the Career Center decided to bring the event to a different level, said Mike Bishop, senior director of the Career Center. CBU staff became focused on networking with local employers and government agencies.

“We’ve been deliberate and focused about networking within the community because a lot of these employers are very interested in CBU, not only because of the educational piece, but they also recognize that our students have strong character and integrity, and that’s appealing to employers,” said Bishop.

All the employers in attendance offered internships, part-time jobs or full-time jobs, Bishop said.

Addison King (’15) could be a walking advertisement for the career fair.

He attended the event last year and got a summer accounting internship with ESRI, a mapping software company in Redlands. His role transitioned into a part-time job in the fall, and when he graduated from CBU in December, he started working at ESRI full time as an accountant.

King, who was one of ESRI’s representatives at the fair, said he used these events to practice and rehearse potential interview questions,

The Naval Surface Warfare Center, an independent assessment agency for the U.S. Navy, was offering internships and full-time jobs in engineering.

“We can get face-to-face with the students,” Eric Villanueva, branch head of engagement systems at the agency, said about the event. “It shows good support for the community. We want to employ our local engineers because we might as well pick from our own backyard.”

The career fair continues to add to the positive reputation that CBU has in the community, Bishop said.

“The school already has a lot of great visibility, but in the community, the more employers that are exposed to our students, the more attractive we become because the employers really do see we have a good quality of students,” he said.

 

Students feel “close to Christ” during evening of worship

For All Seasons filled the Van Dyne Gym with praise music as more than 400 people participated in worship at California Baptist University on Feb. 23.

Community Life and the Office of Spiritual Life collaborated to host the evening of worship.

“[For All Seasons] is obviously very talented, but their desire to honor the Lord, lead others in worship, and highlight truth from scripture was another huge reason we wanted to have them on campus,” said Julie Dobbins, assistant director of chapel and compassion ministries.

For All Seasons began leading worship at Biola University in 2007. In the summer of 2014, after spending several years leading worship at Hume Lake Christian Camps in central California, members of the band decided to devote all of their time to touring and releasing original songs. The band’s self-titled album, “For All Seasons,” debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes Christian/Gospel charts.

“Worship reminds us of what our true identity is,” said Emily Hamilton, lead vocalist and songwriter. “I pray that the walls that we may have built to keep others out, or the pressure we feel to be perfect or to perform a certain way, that all of that would crumble as we continue to seek after (God).”

Throughout the night, the band played worship songs, along with original music from its first album, including “Great God” and “Made for This.” They also played a few songs from the newest album, which is expected to be released in late 2016.

“This was honestly exactly what I needed tonight,” said Nicole Osoto, an exercise science senior. “The songs For All Seasons played really put my heart in a place of worship and allowed me to feel close to Christ. My life has been crazy lately, so it was nice to just slow down and worship.”

“I love For All Seasons, so having them play at CBU was the best,” said Hannah Wilson, a Christian studies freshman. “Their songs were awesome, and it was cool being able to hang out with friends afterward and talk about how they felt after the concert. It was a night that I felt close to Christ.”

 

Let gift of grace shape ministry perspective, theologian urges

Purchased grace is a gift that was accomplished and is now available to believers based on what Christ did, Dr. John Mahony told a California Baptist University audience on Feb. 23.

Mahony is a professor of Theology at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Cordova, Tennessee. He also has served as a pastor, and has written essays for the Theology in Community book series. The CBU School of Christian Ministry hosted his lecture.

Mahony said purchased grace is the work of Christ throughout his life, his death on the cross, his resurrection, his ascension and his mediatorial work in heaven. This grace brings righteousness, blessings from God, and comes through Christ’s active obedience in the way He lived His life, he explained.

“Your salvation, your relationship with Christ is not based upon what you did at the moment of conversion, it’s based on what He did,” he said. “It’s grounded in Him … remember it’s grace purchased.”

Mahony referred to Romans 6, which states that believers have died with Christ and are now raised up with Him in a new life. Christ’s obedience benefits believers because they stand before God completely righteous. This grace shows the unconditional nature of God’s love, Mahony said. People have nothing to offer Him, yet He chooses to bless.

“This purchased grace highlights the undeserved quality of God’s grace. He chooses and blesses those that he should rightfully judge,” he said. “Grace makes no sense from a human perspective.”

What this means for believers is several things, Mahony said. Believers walking in grace should rest in their acceptance before God. It also should change their perspective on ministry.

“Please get over the notion ‘it’s my ministry, it’s my work.’ It’s His,” Mahony declared. “It’s about His church, it’s about His body, it’s about what he’s doing in His body. You, in grace, have been brought into that body and in grace have been gifted for the rest of us.”

 

CBU “Scholarship and Service 2015-2016” now available online

Service learning, community service, and faculty research that enhances teaching are featured in the 2015-2016 edition of Scholarship and Service, published this month by California Baptist University.

The 36-page booklet focuses on some of the programs and people helping to actualize the CBU vision of “a University committed to the Great Commission.”

Articles in this issue of Scholarship and Service feature:

• Dr. Andrew Herrity, recipient of the Trustees Scholar Award, is conducting research that will benefit students and help them prepare for careers after college.
• Dr. Candace Vickers involves her students in helping aphasia patients recover their speech.
• Dr. Keanon Alderson developed a class to pique students’ interest in business and showed them that business can benefit society by impacting the lives of those less fortunate.
• Music majors learn their craft at CBU as they serve others in a variety of ways.
• Dozens of CBU students “adopt” a grandparent at the Magnolia Village senior living facility near campus.
• Hundreds more volunteer each year for the university’s flagship International Service Projects/ U.S. Projects/ Summer of Service programs.

Read the publication online here.

 

Mental illness is a focus for medical director at Patton hospital

One of the true signs of mental illness is auditory hallucinations, Dr. Kayla Fisher, medical director of Patton State Hospital (PSH), told a California Baptist University audience on Feb. 18.

Dr. Kayla Fisher is a physician who specializes in forensic psychiatry. PSH, located in Patton, California,  provides treatment to about 1,500 forensically and civilly committed patients. She spoke as part of the School of Behavioral Sciences’ Culture and Justice Lecture Series.

Fisher addressed the symptoms of mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or psychosis.

“The things that you hear when you are schizophrenic are instructive,” she said. “Oftentimes people think they are hearing the voice of God. Now in a Christian community where we believe people do hear the voice of God, we have to be very careful when approaching these people.”

Fisher cited an example of a woman who killed her children because “God told her to do so.” Fisher said that is indeed an example of mental illness because no religious culture believes it is appropriate to kill children.

She also explained how to tell if someone may be suffering from mental illness.

“You look for changes. These are not going to be good changes,” Fisher said. “These changes will include becoming more inclusive. Their speech will change, what they talk about, and also their beliefs will change. We must remember that those who are ill do not recognize that they need treatment.”

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences, said the lecture’s topic is important in seeking to understand the intersection of religious experiences and manifestations of mental illness.

“There is a long history of mental illness being misunderstood as religious manifestations,” she said. “In addition, this is considered by some an issue of a bygone era, conjuring images of exorcisms. However, as Dr. Fisher demonstrated, this is very much also a contemporary topic worthy of careful consideration within our professional field.”

The next Culture and Justice Lecture Series event, “Relationships Matter: What NFL Relationships Teach Us about Love,” will take place on March 3 at 6:00 p.m. in Innovators Auditorium.

 

Bonner ending tenure as dean, will remain on CBU music faculty

Dr. Judd Bonner has announced that he will step down as dean of the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Music at California Baptist University but remain as a member of the CBU music faculty he joined in 2003 and has headed since May 2012. The change is effective June 30, 2016.

In his early days at CBU, Bonner developed the popular 90-member Male Chorale with brass and rhythm. He accepted the position of associate dean in 2006 and served in that capacity until the retirement of the founding dean.

Since becoming dean, Bonner has conducted the University Choir and Orchestra in over 200 concerts for more than 100,000 audience members around the world. He conducted and produced three studio CDs with the University Choir and Orchestra, one live DVD, and two live CDs. Most recently, he produced the first-ever, CBU Small Group CD, which features music composed and arranged by CBU students.

Annual High School Choral Festivals conducted by Bonner and the CBU music faculty have attracted more than 900 participants since 2013.

Bonner was honored as Professor Emeritus at Dalian University, China in 2014 and invited to be the guest conductor at Jiangsu Theater for Chinese New Year.

In 2015, Bonner led the National Association of Schools of Music accreditation review for the Collinsworth School of Music and wrote the Optional Response to the NASM report.

Other notable achievements during Bonner’s three and a half year tenure as dean include:

• Creation of the CBU Symphony Orchestra
• Introduction of a new Master’s degree in Music Composition;
• Completion and state approval of a Single Subject Matter Competency in music
• Development of the “Meet the Composers” series, providing CBU student musicians a glimpse into the Christian music industry and building relationships with world-renowned, award-winning Christian composers and arrangers.

Dr. Charles Sands, CBU vice president for academic affairs and provost, expressed appreciation for Bonner’s leadership of the Collinsworth School of Music, and said a national search is underway for a new dean.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor of communication disorders, recently taped a webinar on Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Person-Centered Care Using the ICF Framework for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

 

 

 

 

Cynthia Anderson, assistant professor at the School of Nursing, was recently appointed critical care nursing specialty leader for the U.S. Navy Reserve.  She will advise the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery of the Navy Reserve on matters related to critical care nursing and to assure competency, clinical expertise, mentoring and operational readiness for the critical care registered nurses of the U.S. Navy Reserve. She will serve in this role for three years.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeff Cate, professor of New Testament, presented a paper, Martin Luther and the Reliability of the NT Manuscript Tradition, at Houston Baptist University on Feb. 26 during its theology conference, Ad Fontes, Ad Futura: Erasmus’ Bible and the Impact of Scripture.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Derek Updegraff, assistant professor of English and Creative Writing, gave a poetry reading at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, on Feb. 18 as part of the Windhover Writers’ Festival. His poems have recently been published in the journals Windhover, The Rotary Dial, and The Front Range Review; and his short stories have recently been published in Rosebud and Posit: A Journal of Literature and Art.

 

 

 

Victoria Brodie, adjunct in public relations for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to the Public Relations Student Society of America, California Baptist University chapter on Feb. 16. The presentation explored the necessity for agility inside the ever-evolving public relations landscape from a practitioner’s perspective.

 

 

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, assistant professor of environmental science, co-authored two poster presentations and one oral presentation given at the 8th Natural and Mathematical Sciences Research and Internship Seminar at CBU on Feb. 20. Student Stephanie Lara presented the poster Environmental Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Inside a Model Colon. Student Cooper May presented the poster Potential Phytotoxicity and Uptake of Titanium Dioxide Nanomaterials in Food Crops. Student Melissa Varela gave the oral presentation Fate and Aggregation Behavior of Graphene Oxide Nanomaterials in Aquatic Environments.

 

 

Heather Ontiveros, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, and Jennifer Zamora, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, helped coordinate and run collaborations in problem-based learning at the Keck Graduate Institute Pharmacy School in Claremont on Feb. 12. They guided the pharmacy students through cases and various learning objectives. Zamora was also one the main speakers, along with Dr. Allan Bedashi, professor of physician assistant studies, for high school seniors and college students at a STEM conference Feb. 9 at Norco Community College.

 

 

Dr. Elizabeth Morris, professor of education, Scott Dunbar, assistant professor of human resource management, Richard Ardito, assistant professor of accounting and Dr. Riste Simnjanovski, assistant professor of public administration, all with Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper, Trashing Your Textbook: Self-Regulated Learning Through the Use of Vignettes, Cases, Primary Sources and the Real World as an Alternative to Publisher Texts, at the 14^th annual Hawaii International Conference on Education in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Jan. 3-6.

 

Frank Mihelich, assistant professor of theatre, directed an original 10-minute play as guest stage director at the region eight Kennedy Center of American College Theatre Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii, Feb. 10-14. He worked with the play’s author, Taylor Hatch, a graduate playwriting student at the University of California at Riverside. While at the festival, Mihelich led a team of actors and a stage manager to bring the play, Pants, to the stage for the first time.

 

 

 

Dr. Nicole MacDonald, associate professor of kinesiology, and Dr. Jolene Dickert, associate professor of athletic training, gave a presentation on Inter-professional Collaborative Practice at the California Athletic Trainers Association 6^th Annual State Symposium in Sacramento, California, Feb. 20-22.  Twenty-nine Athletic Training students and one other faculty member attended the event, including 15 second-year students who participated in poster presentations of their research topics. Twenty-five students and three faculty members also took part in the seventh annual California Hit the Hill event on Feb. 22.  The event took place at the state capitol in Sacramento, where they met with legislators to support AB 2007, a concussion and youth sports safety bill.

 

 

Ground has been broken and concrete has started to be poured on the 153,000-square-feet multi-use event center scheduled to open at CBU in April 2017. The $73 million project will result in a 5,050-seat arena that will showcase some of the CBU athletics teams and provide much needed space for CBU’s chapel program.

 

 

 

 

The Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences held its 8^th Annual Natural and Mathematical Sciences Research Seminar Feb. 20. About 100 students and 15 faculty attended. Dr. Lubo Zhang, director of the Center for Perinatal Biology and professor of physiology and pharmacology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, gave the keynote address. NMS students also presented their research with 10 poster presentations and 14 oral presentations.

 

Dr. Jim Buchholz, professor of mathematics and physics, gave a talk, Science in Entertainment, at the Department of Natural and Math Sciences Monthly Colloquium on Feb. 17.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, visiting professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, was a guest speaker at the Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville, Tennessee. She spoke about unwavering faithfulness to God, a testimony of Jeremiah (Lamentations 3:1-23) and Paul’s (II Corinthians 11 & 12) faithfulness in the midst of trials on Feb. 25.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, associate professor of civil engineering, and 10 civil engineering students visited the Simpson Strong-Tie to learn about its research labs and manufacturing facility on Feb. 12. The Riverside company makes structural products including connectors, fasteners and anchors for homes and buildings. Bai also presented a paper, Seismic Fragility Analysis for Semi-Actively Controlled Structures Using MR Dampers, at the 2016 Geotechnical & Structural Engineering Congress in Phoenix, Arizona, on Feb. 15.

 

 

Dr. David Poole, vice president for Online and Professional Studies, was the featured speaker at the November 2015 County of Riverside Executive Leadership Workshop where he lectured on Changing the Culture to Build a Legacy.  In December, he provided training to more than 300 managers and supervisors for the County of Riverside Department of Public Social Services at its Self Sufficiency Leadership Forum.

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, taught a four-day airport operations course to 50 airport professionals for the Hawaii Department of Transportation Aviation Division in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Feb. 22-25.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, assistant professor of psychology, and students Guadalupe Buitron and Jake Love presented a poster, Analysis of California Baptist University’s Science and Religion Club, at the Practical Applications of Faith and Science conference held Feb. 27 at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. The Southern California Christians in Science, American Scientific Affiliation local chapter, and Fuller Seminary’s Science and Religion Club co-hosted the event. Smith also presented a talk, Student Characteristics and the Science-Religion Dialogue, at the event.

 

 

 

Dr. Lesley Mayne, professor of communication disorders, provided a workshop titled Augmentative Alternative Communication at a NSSLHA Communication Disorders student club professional workshop series on campus on Feb. 18.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Namhee Kim, assistant professor of communication disorders, and 12 communication disorders students volunteered at the SOS Parent Night Out program for special needs children at The Grove Community Church in Riverside on Feb. 19.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

CBU celebrates Black History Month with artistic event

Students celebrated the cultural influences of African-Americans at California Baptist University in observance of Black History Month on Feb 18.

The United Club, comprising CBU students that promote culture diversity on campus, hosted the second annual event with Community Life at the James L. Stamps Foundation Courtyard.

“We students can be united in Christ,” said Grayson Bell, United Club president and a senior public relation major. “However, we have many different cultural backgrounds at CBU and we want to celebrate those differences.”

The event explored various expressions of art, poetry, songs and speeches that showcase the diversity within African-American culture. Students took turns singing, reading poetry or explaining what Black History Month means to them.

“We want this event to celebrate the diversity of our campus, acknowledging that, like our country, we are a melting pot of life experiences and cultures,” said Rory Todd, club advisor of United and a residence director at The Village.

Todd said that this event helps connect students to Black History Month.

“Black History Month provides opportunities to discuss openly and celebrate African-American culture. We want to strive for understanding and appreciation for others,” he said.

Bell said that the club seeks to honor the different types of cultures on campus by organizing different events throughout the year.

 

Speaker backs “integration model” to keep God in schools

Students benefit when public schools permit religion to be discussed in the classroom, according to Eric Buehrer, director of Gateways to Better Education (GBE), who spoke at California Baptist University Feb. 17.

Buehrer spoke about the diversity of issues pertaining to teaching religion in the public sector at the Faith, Freedom & Public Schools seminar sponsored by the Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf College of Education. GBE, a nonprofit organization founded in 1991, aims to inform public schools of the important contribution the Bible and Christianity have made to the world.

He said public school districts usually have one of three viewpoints on addressing religion in the classroom. The first is the “separation” view that tries to shield or censor students from any form of religious speech in the classrooms.

Additionally, there is the “evangelization” opinion that states it is illegal to worship, pray, or talk about one’s personal religion in the classroom. The third option is the “integration” model, which seeks to explore the academic appreciation for the impact that religion has had on education.

Buehrer believes in the “integration” model stating there are legitimate reasons why Christianity should still be an aspect of the public school classroom.

“It’s reasonable that American schools teach American students about American culture, because American culture is deeply immersed in the Judeo-Christian worldview,” Buehrer said. For instance, Buehrer noted when students study the religious persecution of the pilgrims they need to be able to have in-depth conversations on religious issues.

Ultimately, education is better for children when schools keep God in the classroom, Buehrer said.

Allison Mori, a liberal arts sophomore, appreciated the insights Buehrer shared about the public education system.

“This lecture was extremely helpful to my future career. I have attended private school my whole life,” said Allison Mori, a liberal arts sophomore. “Tonight I learned about how Christianity is viewed in a public school setting, and how I can be the best light for Christ that I can be while teaching.”

 

Collaboration boosts health care outcomes, speaker says

Dr. Nena Sanders lectured at California Baptist University about the importance of interprofessional education (IPE) in the area of health care on Feb. 16.

Sanders was a speaker at the CBU College of Health Science Distinguished Lecture series. She serves as vice provost of Samford University’s College of Health Sciences, is a fellow in the Healthcare Ethics and Law Institute at Samford University, and is an inductee into the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame.

“(IPE) occurs when students from two or more professions or disciplines come together, learn about and from one another, work with each other, to improve health outcomes,” Sanders said.

Sanders said health care professionals too often operate without knowing or working across their specific occupational lines, which is “a mistake.”

“Without collaborative practice, we will never, in the new environment, provide quality patient outcomes,” Sanders said.

She said that roles and scopes in medical practices “are more alike than different,” and that IPE will lead to the sharing of responsibilities, which she described as “creating a continuum of care, not slicing it.”

“For the first time in healthcare, we can redefine outcomes for patients, make their lives better,” she said. “How are we going to do that? You. You’re going to learn differently, you’re going to practice differently and you’re going to have a different sense of accountability about caring for those individuals.”

Dr. David Pearson, interim dean for the College of Health Science, said CBU students are taught from an IPE approach.

“Dr. Nicole MacDonald (associate professor of kinesiology) and our Athletic Training faculty have really led the College of Health Science into the IPE process,” Pearson said.  “Their work with the School of Nursing has established the template off which we continue to build collaborative practice partnerships across disciplines.”

 

Pastor, chapel speaker highlights virtue of patience

“You ought to have patience because God has all sorts of patience with you,” Dr. Eddie Pate (’80) told California Baptist University students at chapel Feb. 17.

Pate, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Barstow, has also worked overseas with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention for 11 years and directed the Kim School of Global Missions at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.

The consequences of impatience can be drastic,” he said. “You want to have a broken relationship with somebody? Get impatient with them. You want financial disaster? Then decide you’re going to buy what you can’t afford right now.”

In the New Testament, when the Apostle Paul writes to the churches, he repeatedly tells them to be patient with each other, Pate said. In I Corinthians 13, when describing love, it says love is patient.

“Patience is the ability to remain calm even when you have been provoked, even in the midst of trouble, even in the midst of difficulty,” he said.

Being patient is a choice, Pate said, because everyone is in charge of their own emotions.

“If you’re in a situation that’s stressing your patience, then stop, pull back and get a better look on things,” he said. “When you think about it, most of the things that you get angry about really aren’t that big of a deal.”

Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, Pate reminded his audience. If believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, they will be patient with people, with issues and with trouble in life.

“Unlock the inner super power that’s in you – the Holy Spirit,” he said. “If you’re a follower of Christ, you’ve got this special resource in you.”

 

“The 39 Steps,” a classic whodunit, opens at Wallace Theatre

California Baptist University’s theatre program will feature its third production of the 2015-16 season this weekend with “The 39 Steps.”  Performances start on Feb. 19 at Wallace Theatre.

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have “The 39 Steps,” a fast-paced whodunit. “The 39 Steps” is an adaption from the same titled Hitchcock movie and Patrick Barlow’s screenplay of John Buchan’s book. It follows the incredible adventures of Richard Hannay, as he encounters dastardly murders and double-crossing secret agents.

Alexis Safoyan, a freshman theater and public relations double major, plays Pamela, the love interest of Hannay.

“I enjoyed playing a strong sassy woman in the production,” said Safoyan. “My character has taught me to be more independent.”

Safoyan hopes that the audience is able to escape from a stressful day and spend two hours laughing with the cast.

“I hope that the audience will enjoy our take on a classic story and want to go back and read the original story,” she said.

“The 39 Steps”                                                            

When: Feb. 19-20, Feb. 25-27 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 20, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.

Where: Wallace Theatre, California Baptist University

Tickets: General admission $15, CBU Faculty and Staff $12, CBU students $10

Questions? Call the theatre box office at 951-343-4319 or email: mhyde@calbaptist.edu

 

CBU speaker talks of using artistry for God’s glory

The Rev. Dr. Byron Spradlin, president of Artists in Christian Testimony International (ACT), told California Baptist University students, “The Bible says that there is a very important role for the artistic person.”

The College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design hosted Spradlin for its Arts and Missions Lecture Series on Feb 15. His lecture focused on imagination as it pertains to people and their relation to God and ministry.

“I’m trying to encourage you to move forward in your studies and also catch a vision for how God has made you,” Spradlin said.

Spradlin, whose ACT ministry seeks to equip artistic and innovative ministries for missionaries work around the world, said that artists have an excess of imaginal intelligence (relating to imagination or images).

While all humans have the capacity for imagination, Spradlin said some are “unusually wise at imaginative design or expression.” That gift of imagination and artistry was given by God and should be used for His glory.

Spradlin said when we use art for God’s glory the artist can also show what beauty and virtue look like.

“Whether you are dealing in an organized church setting … or are working in a mainstream context, you are bringing a dynamic of beauty and the dynamic of virtue into that reality.”

 

Middle-school math enthusiasts compete at CBU

More than 150 middle school students from the Riverside and San Bernardino area gathered at California Baptist University’s campus to compete in MATHCOUNTS, a national competitive mathematics program, on Feb. 13.

MATHCOUNTS is an organization dedicated to promoting engineering and mathematics at the middle school level.

The Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering has hosted the competition since 2009. About 40 engineering students assisted in the event with registration, proctoring, grading and demonstrating some of their course work, such as a 3D printer.

“Intelligence takes on lots of different forms. Mathematics in one of them,” said Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the College of Engineering.

Donaldson praised the Riverside area for promoting math and innovation among students.

“You’re in a happening place,” he said, to students. “This is a place where things converge and innovation can occur and young minds can be inspired.”

Top finishers at the CBU event in the individual and team categories will move on to compete at the state competition. Additionally, CBU’s College of Engineering awards $10,000 scholarships ($2,500 per year) to top performers if they enroll in the CBU engineering program as a full-time student in the future.

 

Swimming and diving teams win big at Rocky Mountain

The Lancer men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams swept the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships in Grand Junction, Colorado, on Feb. 13. The Lancers won both conference championships for the first time since joining the conference in 2013-2014.

The women won their third-straight RMAC title. The men pulled off a narrow victory for their first conference championship.

CBU also came home with individual honors. On the women’s side, Bre Schlenger was named the Diver of the Meet and Year after winning both boards at the event. On the men’s squad, Zach Parry was named the Diver of the Meet and Josh Hanson the Swimmer of the Year after their stellar performances at the championships. Parry won both boards, while Hanson won five conference titles.

Rick Rowland was also named the Coach of the Year.

“We have a lot of excited kids, we have never won a double title on the men and women ever,” Rowland said.

Read full women’s recap here.

Read full men’s recap here.

 

Exhibit at CBU Gallery depicts “A Beautiful Lie”

Regina Jacobson’s paintings, which portray the social dictates of the ideal body image for young women, are on display at California Baptist University’s “A Beautiful Lie,” art exhibit.

Jacobson is an accomplished artist, curator and speaker. She has also spent a lifetime working in the fashion industry that has helped form her concepts of beauty.

In her master’s thesis work “The Cult of Beauty” at the Laguna College of Art and Design, she describes the human spirit as one longing for approval and acceptance. Her paintings examine how a delicate self-worth can be undermined in a society where standards of idealized beauty seem hallowed and venerated.

Her paintings are critiques of cultural perceptions of “acceptable” bodies/faces and sexualized behaviors for young women. Working out of a neorealist tradition, she constructs symbolic images, which can be interpreted as being allegorical in a theological or mythological way.

“I wanted Regina to exhibit at CBU,” said Duncan Simcoe, visual arts professor at CBU. “She is right on point about her ideas of women and their bodies. She is a mature professional and her work should be an inspiration for young women at CBU.”

The exhibit is now open and runs through March 4 at CBU’s Gallery located at 3737 Main St., Suite. 101 in downtown Riverside. The display is open Tuesday – Saturday from noon – 8 p.m.

 

Missionary speaks of techie way to spread Gospel

John Kang, director of the missions group InterCP, spoke to California Baptist University students on how technology can be used to spread the Gospel to the unreached on Feb. 8.

Kang spoke as part of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering’s Information Technology and Frontier Missions seminar.

Technology has helped advance the Gospel across the globe through Bible phone apps and secure digital (SD) memory cards that store the Bible, Kang said through a translator.

“Within a year, we have given out 11,526 Bibles using SD cards. You can easily transport them,” Kang said.

InterCP is a nonprofit organization whose vision is to spread the Gospel to the 10/40 Window and beyond.

“Jesus was ministering in Galilee, the frontier land,” Kang said. “His Great Commission was to the people of the frontiers, to the people who don’t have access to the Word.”

Kang discussed how the Gospel can spread quickly through a committed group of believers.

“God used the small churches in the New Testament. Small groups of Christians built what Christianity is today,” Kang said.

The College of Engineering hosts these lecture series to encourage students to have a cross-cultural kingdom mindset of the world, said Dr. Mi Kyung Han, electrical engineering assistant professor at CBU.

 

Chapel speakers talk about having peace in life’s chaos

“Peace in chaotic circumstance is not natural, but it is possible,” Holly McRae told California Baptist University students on Feb. 8.

Aaron and Holly McRae spoke at chapel about having peace in the middle of life’s struggles. Aaron is the pastor of Hillside Community Church in Rancho Cucamonga. They have three children. In 2009, their daughter Kate, age 5 at the time, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. In the years since, Kate has undergone surgeries, procedures and treatments to save her life. She has seen her cancer go into remission only to find it come back twice. Kate is scheduled to undergo another round of chemotherapy soon.

Peace is not found in trying to fix the circumstances, Aaron said. He spoke from Philippians 4:4-9, where the Apostle Paul addresses how to obtain God’s peace.

“So what do we do in those moments when life doesn’t turn out as we hoped it would?” Aaron asked. “The peace that God offers isn’t based on what’s going on in our life. It’s rooted in the presence of God.”

Aaron and Holly said they were raised in the church and they know the Bible, but holding onto God’s peace through their daughter’s illness has still been challenging.

Aaron said to overcome anxiety and fear, believers need to focus more on God and what is true, right, pure and lovely, as Philippians 4:8 says.

“’Do not be anxious’—that has been a battle for us,” Aaron said. “It has caused us, forced us, to take our eyes solely off of our circumstances and see God at work.”

Believers also need to know that peace is not euphoria or that all sadness is gone, Holly said. It is a soul that is settled, but that will not happen without trust.

“It’s the sense of being protected when life is anything but,” she said. “Trust is foundational to peace. I’m still learning to trust my daughter’s story and my story to its Author.”

Only Christ and trusting in Him will bring a peace that circumstances cannot steal, Holly said.

“God’s taking our story and your story and he’s weaving it in into something much bigger, a much bigger story, a much grander story,” she said.

 

Men’s basketball earns victory on televised game

The Lancers men’s basketball squad overcame a 12-point halftime deficit and rallied in the second half to earn a 97-90 victory over Brigham Young University-Hawaii on Feb. 4. The game drew nearly 1,000 spectators to the Van Dyne Gym, and the contest was broadcasted live nationally by Fox Sports West.

“This win is huge for us,” said Gelaun Wheelwright, CBU guard who scored a career-high 38 points. “We’ve had a completely different mindset going into this last stretch of conference. We’re taking it one game at a time. Our run is coming, we just need to keep working.”

The team recently debuted at No. 5 on the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Regional Rankings with an 18-6 Division II record — CBU sits 20-6 overall, 11-5 in the PacWest.

Read the full game recap here.

 

CBU fair puts summer work options on “silver platter”

More than 30 churches, Christian camps and service oriented organizations participated in the Summer Ministry & Job Fair at California Baptist University on Feb. 3. Organized by the Career Center, the event offered students summer ministry opportunities and internships options.

Jake Lizama, a pre-nursing sophomore, visited the Wycliffe Bible Translators booth and was excited to discover they offered an internship in nursing.

“It’s awesome seeing all the different opportunities…[I got] to talk to great people who are very passionate about what they do,” Lizama said. “CBU has put it on a silver platter for me.”

Lindsea Murray, a business administration freshman, spoke to various Christian summer camp representatives.

“It’s really helpful that [CBU] brings the jobs to you. You don’t have to go out looking,” she said.

The fair offered what Megan Turner, Career Center graduate assistant, referred to as “resume boosters.”

It is a chance for students to get experience that will align with their education and career goals, said Turner, who coordinated the event.

Turner welcomed students of all majors to come to the different job fairs offered at CBU.

“You never know what jobs will be out there,” she said.

The Career Center has two more fairs in the works. On Feb 24, there will be a Business, Engineering and Communications Studies Fair, which is largest job fair on campus. Additionally, there is a Teacher Career Fair scheduled on March 10.

 

Drucker protégé urges value marketing and innovation

Nearly 200 people attended the Peter Drucker and Leadership seminar at California Baptist University on Feb. 1. The lecturer, Dr. Frank Dickerson, a student of Drucker at Claremont Graduate University, spoke on the leadership perspective he learned under the guidance of the legendary management guru.

The event was free and open to the public as part of the School of Education’s Leadership Seminar Series.

Dickerson is the founder and president of High Touch Communications, a marketing and fundraising organization, and The Written Voice, a research group that studies the language of promotional discourse.

Dickerson said there are three questions a successful leader must be willing to address: What is your business? Who is your customer? What does your customer consider of value?

Dickerson also spoke on what makes a successful leader, based on the instruction of Drucker.

“As a leader, you have to value marketing and innovation. This is where a company gets its results,” Dickerson said.

Drucker was a well-versed author, professor and management consultant. His work spanned more than six decades and helped turn modern management theory into a serious discipline.

Dickerson recalled fond memories of Drucker’s kindness. He also spoke about Drucker’s ability to challenge people.

“He challenged me to understand the management problems involved in running big organizations,” Dickerson said.

Family Updates

Kent Dacus, vice president for enrollment and student services, was elected earlier this month to serve as chair of the board of trustees for LifeWay Christian Resources. LifeWay is a provider of Christian resources, including Bibles, Bible studies, church music and digital services.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Cammy Purper, assistant professor of early childhood studies, Dr. Elaine Ahumada, associated professor of public administration, and Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations, all with Online and Professional Studies, were guest panelists at the superintendent’s book club at Grand Terrace High School on Feb. 3. The panelists offered insight on the book “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg and fielded questions from juniors and seniors. Superintendent Jerry Almendarez, of Colton Joint Unified School District, hosted the event.

 

 

CBU President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis was named an impact player in Inland Empire sports by The Press-Enterprise. The list of the Inland area’s 10 most influential, interesting or accomplished sports personalities placed Ellis at No. 4 for building the events center.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Kenneth Minesinger, associate professor of law for Online and Professional Studies, edited an article for the State Bar of California’s Business Law Journal. The No Contract Rule Actually DOES Apply to Transactional Lawyers appeared in Business Law News, Issue 4.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Chris Morgan, dean of the School of Christian Ministries, was interviewed for Books at a Glance website as co-editor of the book The Glory of God.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Robert G. Crosby III, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies and Dr. Erin I. Smith, assistant professor of psychology, published an article in the Journal of Psychology & Theology, Winter 2015. The article is Church support as a predictor of children’s spirituality and prosocial behavior.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joseph Pelletier, assistant professor of psychology, and student Bryce Ritt presented a poster at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology annual conference in San Diego Jan. 28-30. The poster was titled The Impact of Social Identity and Racial Salience on Judgments of Police and Civilian Interactions.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences, and her husband, Dave, have adopted a boy from Ethiopia. The adoption of Marjok, 7, was official Dec. 24. The couple have another son, Abraham, 8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Lancer wrestlers make history at championship tournament

The California Baptist University wrestling team won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship tournament on Jan. 31 and claimed CBU’s first RMAC wrestling title.

Lancer wrestling notched 133.5 team points during the tournament to claim the top spot. Lancer Joe Fagiano won Co-Wrestler of the Meet honors by winning the 284-pound title.

“It’s a great feeling [winning the RMAC Championship],” Head Coach Lennie Zalesky said. “There were some really tough teams to wrestle against but none of my wrestlers really surprised me today.”

Read more here.

 

 

Baseball Lancers reunite as 2016 season approaches

The California Baptist University baseball team welcomed back former players for an evening filled with nostalgia prior to 2016 home opener.

Baseball alumni participated in a home-run derby contest and scrimmaged against the current CBU baseball squad on Jan. 30 at the James W. Totman Baseball Stadium. The evening’s activities are part of the baseball team’s annual tradition.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been out on this field,” said Robert Hood (’08), former third baseman. “Playing tonight gave me major nostalgia. Some of my best years were here playing for CBU.”

Sharif Othman (’11), a former catcher at CBU and 2016 spring training invitee for the Miami Marlins, reflected on his time at CBU.

“Playing for CBU has given me so many opportunities, so it was awesome being back on this field again,” Othman said.

For the current baseball squad, the expectations for the 2016 season are high. The coaches PacWest preseason poll picked CBU to finish atop the division with Dixie State University. Additionally, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ranks the Lancers fourth in the West Region.

Coach Gary Adcock, heading into his 13^th season with the Lancers, is excited to see what this season holds.

“We expect to compete for a championship, but we understand a lot of factors go into achieving a goal like that,” he said. “For now, we are more focused on the process, controlling the controllables if you will, and at the end we will see where that puts us.”

The Lancers were 31-22 last year, finishing second-place in their conference and earning a No. 3 ranking in the NCAA II regional playoffs.

CBU opens the 2016 season at home Feb. 4 at 6 p.m., against California State University, Los Angeles.

 

The Point at CBU receives beautification award

The revitalization of The Point at California Baptist University has received a beautification award from the Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful (KRCB) program.

CBU received first place in the category of Exterior Reconstruction with Landscaping. Mayor Rusty Bailey and Cindy Roth, CEO of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, presented the KRCB awards during the annual State of the City address on Jan. 28. Mark Howe, CBU vice president for finance and administration, accepted the accolade on behalf of the university.

“This award represents CBU’s continued commitment to improving our campus and the community at large, which we represent,” Howe said.

KRCB is a community-sponsored program by the City of Riverside and the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce. Its mission is to foster a sense of community pride by creating partnerships that work toward the beautification of the city.

In the summer of 2015 the last section of The Point remodeling was completed. The former San Carlos apartment complex located on Adams Street now features multiple office suites and a team room for the CBU wrestling program, as well as student living areas.

The 2016 award is the second consecutive first place finish for CBU in the Exterior Reconstruction with Landscaping category. The 2015 award was for the remodeling project known as Lancer Plaza North.

 

CBU hosts music festival for international guests

Aspiring musicians from China were welcomed at California Baptist University to participate in the second International Music Festival on Jan. 28-29.

“The festival is a good-will event, an expansion of musical flair and an opportunity to open the doors for international students to further their musical aspirations,” said Dr. Larry Linamen, vice president for global initiatives at CBU. “The music festival also provides cultural enrichment for all involved.”

The Chinese guests arrived on Jan. 28 and got a glimpse into the lives of CBU music students. The visitors attended a music class, practiced their musical skills and attended practice sessions of various CBU music groups.

The following day nearly a dozen of the international guests participated in competitions against CBU students in a variety of instrumental and vocal fields.

CBU music faculty judged the competition, and participants were given valuable feedback on their performances. The winners received 1^st and 2^nd place awards. The other participants received honorable mention certificates.

 

CBU leading team to enhance teaching of science classes

California Baptist University will lead a team that will work on revamping curriculum and learning environments for science classes in the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. The partnership will be funded by a $1.35 million grant from the California Department of Education (CDE).

The grant is made available by the California Mathematics and Science Partnership grant program and is administered by the science, technology, engineering and mathematics office at the CDE. The grant’s aim is to increase the academic achievement of students by enhancing the knowledge and teaching skills of high school instructors.

CBU is the lead university in the project that also will include University of California, Riverside and Michigan State University. Additionally, the California Science Project, a statewide network for educators, and Concord Consortium, a software company known for its innovative technology, will be part of the collaborative efforts.

Together the group will develop curriculum to help teachers in the subjects of biology, chemistry, physics and earth and space. Furthermore, they will create labs and computer simulations that teachers can use to meet new state standards in science.

“[The grant will] help teachers have a higher level of content knowledge and also provide more tools for them to make sure they’re producing better students,” said Dr. Jim Buchholz, CBU professor of mathematics and physics and principal investigator of the grant. He will be working with other CBU faculty from the department of natural and mathematical sciences to develop tools for the teachers.

 

Biblical scholar talks of responding to God’s deliverance

The well-versed Biblical scholar and author Dr. D.A. Carson spoke at California Baptist University on how believers should respond when God delivers them through difficult circumstances.

“The only adequate response when God pulls you out the muck is the transformation that comes when God opens our ears so that we hear and obey and want to do His will,” said Carson, who spoke as part of the School of Christian Ministries Lecture Series on Jan. 28.

Carson is the president of The Gospel Coalition, a network of churches focused on the theological application of the gospel to accomplish the Great Commission. Carson is also a research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and the author or editor of more than 50 books.

During his talk, Carson focused on Psalm 40, especially the first 10 verses.

Carson said when God rescues David from difficulties, David responds to God with gratitude, a desire to do His will and public proclamations of God’s faithfulness.

“How will the next generation of Christians learn how to voice appropriate praise to God unless they see the older generation doing it?” Carson asked. “When it comes to testimony time in the church, there should be a lot of senior saints getting up and saying things, because they’re fulfilling a pedagogical function of how it’s done.”

Carson added that God does not always take believers out of a trial. Even the Apostle Paul learned to rely on God’s grace through his suffering.

“It must be said that sometimes God pulls us out of the swamp, out of the miry bog and sometimes He leaves us there and adds grace,” Carson said. “God’s more interested in our humility than in our happiness.”

 

CBU hosts Global Missions Health Conference

Students from the Southern California region came to California Baptist University Jan. 22-23 to attend a Global Mission Health West Coast Conference designed to help participants explore a calling in the area of healthcare missions.

CBU’s College of Health Science and School of Nursing hosted the second annual event, which drew students from CBU, Loma Linda University, University of California, Irvine and University of California, Riverside.

“Our hope is to cast a vision for healthcare missions so that more people can see clearly how to use their specific gifts and talents for the Kingdom,” said Will Rogers, executive director of the Global Mission Health Conference, before the conference.

Morgan Banducci, a CBU pre-nursing sophomore, said the event gave her an opportunity to learn more about medical missions, the various organizations involved in these ministries and how she can be a part of them.

“I came to the conference because my long-term goal in nursing is to be a missionary nurse and go overseas,” Banducci said.

Speakers included Jeff Lewis, CBU interim director of global mobilization, Brian Zunigha, CBU director of discipleship ministries, and Rebekah Naylor, global health consultant for Baptist Global Response.

Lewis spoke to students about the importance of ministry and using their skills to be representatives for Christ.

“You are developing yourself first and foremost to be ambassadors for Christ through the skills that God has blessed you with. It is your calling,” Lewis said. “Everything we do here at California Baptist University should be, and is, about preparing men and women to disciple the nations through their marketable skills.”

Alumna Jenna Reed (‘15) attended the conference to learn how she can use her nursing degree for ministry opportunities.

“With all the things I’ve learned at CBU, I think it would be great to take that [knowledge] to other nations and serve a greater purpose,” Reed said. “I think [it would be] a good experience to have, to get out of my comfort zone.”

 

CBUONLINE earns several top 40 national rankings

California Baptist University has earned the No. 34 spot among online bachelor’s programs in the 2016 Top Online Education Program national rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. This puts CBU second among California colleges ranked in the top 40 for the best online bachelor’s programs. CBU has placed in the top 40 for the fourth consecutive year.

CBU Online and Professional Studies (OPS) currently serves more than 3,600 students online. OPS offers 25 online undergraduate majors and concentrations, 14 graduate majors and specializations and a doctorate in public administration program that launched this month.

“When you look at the number of universities that continue to add online programs, thus making it even more competitive, to be consistently rated in the top 40 nationwide speaks well to meeting our goal of serving the adult student’s educational needs,” said Dr. David Poole, vice president for OPS.

CBU also received high online rankings for training instructors with a No. 2 for online MBA faculty and credentials training; No. 3 for online graduate education faculty training; and a No. 4 for faculty and training in the bachelor’s degree category.

“The latest rankings support our plans to continue to build and deliver quality programs that serve the growing need for online education,” Poole said.

For more information on the U.S. News Top Online Education Program rankings, please visit http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education.

 

CBU Flight School earns significant FAA certification

The Aviation Science program at California Baptist University received one of the highest certifications from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). A representative from the FAA Riverside Flight Standard District Office (FSDO) was on hand at the Flight Operation Center to present the Part 141 Air Agency Certification to CBU on Jan. 15.

“To California Baptist University’s credit you’ve managed to obtain this certificate within a short time frame,” said Keith Frable, manager of Riverside’s (FSDO). “This is a great step forward for the university and students are very fortunate to be here.”

Marie LeBlanc, chief flight instructor at CBU, said there are several benefits to obtaining this certification. Having an FAA approved Part 141 program allows CBU to admit veterans and international students into the program with fewer admission obstacles. Additionally, CBU may apply for further FAA approvals that would reduce required flight hours for students to become an airline pilot.

To receive the certification CBU had to pass various Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and inspections. Additionally, to retain the certification CBU must continuously meet standards specified by the FAA in categories such as equipment, facilities, personnel and curriculum.

The CBU Aviation Science program currently offers three undergraduate majors and plans to add two more next fall. The inaugural class opened in fall of 2013. This semester there are more than 70 students in the program with enrollment expected to increase to 100 in the fall 2016 semester, said Dr. Daniel Prather, chair of the aviation program.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Hyun-Woo Park, professor of biology, co-authored a paper, Effect of promoters and plasmid copy number on Cyt1A synthesis and crystal assembly in Bacillus thuringiensis, published in Current Microbiology (January 2016).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Kenneth Minesinger, associate professor of law for Online and Professional Studies, made a presentation at the January meeting of the Public Relations Society of America, Inland Empire Chapter in Riverside. The presentation was titled Slander and Libel in the Age of Social Media.

 

 

 

 

Jose Gonzalez, electrician II, was named CBU’s Employee of the Month for February. The nomination form included the following statements: Jose has great customer service skills and is a pleasant, Christ-like servant to his customers. There have been numerous occasions where he has a large work load but drops what he is doing to serve others and assist with a greater need. Jose has completed many special projects on time for the University and has a consistent routine in his work order completion performance.

 

 

 

 

Michael Meyer, associate vice president for University Advancement, was installed as a 2016-2017 board member of the Corona Chamber of Commerce board of directors on Jan. 21.

 

 

 

 

Shawn Wilhite, assistant professor Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, had an article, “That We Too Might Be Imitators of Him”: The Martrydom of Polycarp as Imitatio Christi, published in Churchman (Winter 2015).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Charles Sands, provost, presented The Future of Healthcare Education to the Leadership Riverside class of 2016 on Jan. 15. Leadership Riverside is a leadership development program sponsored by the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce.

 

 

 

 

Victoria Brodie, adjunct for public relations for Online and Professional Studies, and Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to business owners and downtown employees about social media and internships on Jan. 14. The presentation was part of a collaborative effort of the Riverside Downtown Partnership and CBU/Online communication and public relations students.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Alex Chediak, professor of engineering and physics, recently has had five articles published on three websites: Minimize Student Debt, Maximize Christian Mission was published on Desiring God; 5 suggestions for getting a college degree without going broke, on Fox News; and Actually, Conservatives Should Champion Liberal Arts Degrees, No, Not Every Millennial Is Drowning in $200k+ Debt, and The Cure for College Student Narcissism: Work were on Stream

 

 

 

Dr. Keanon Alderson, associate professor business, presented at the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship meeting in San Diego on Jan. 11. His presentation was titled Opportunity Recognition and Global Sourcing using Alibaba.com.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Barry Parker, librarian, had his novel, Phantom Revelation, published last month by Page Publishing.

 

 

 

 

 

Elisabeth Murillo, assistant professor of aviation science, and her husband, Cesar Murillo, welcomed their second child on Jan. 17. Samuel Levi Murillo weighed 7 pounds and 4 ounces and measured 19½ inches long. His older brother, Moises, is 2½.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Melissa Wigginton, assistant professor of health science, and her husband, Brian McDuffie, welcomed their first child on Dec. 30. Their daughter, Reagan Lee McDuffie, weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces and measured 20 inches long.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

$10 million gift is largest ever for California Baptist University

California Baptist University President Ronald L. Ellis announced a $10-million gift during the January meeting of the CBU Board of Trustees. It is the largest gift in the history of the institution.

Trustees applauded the announcement that Ellis said had been in the works for well over a year.

“We are very excited to announce this wonderful gift,” Ellis said. “It’s not that uncommon today for universities of our size to receive seven-figure gifts. We’ve received several. But to get an eight-figure gift is quite an honor.”

Ellis said the donor wishes to remain anonymous. The gift will help fund construction of a three-story building encompassing 100,000 square feet to house the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering. With an estimated total cost in excess of $50 million, the CBU engineering building project is targeted for completion in the summer of 2018.

“This is going to accelerate the trajectory of the engineering program at CBU,” Ellis said. “It is a tremendous highlight for CBU and we praise God for his providence.”

Founded in 1950, California Baptist University is a private comprehensive institution located in Riverside, Calif. CBU offers more than 150 majors, minors and concentrations, as well as more than 40 graduate programs and two doctoral programs. Affiliated with California Southern Baptist Convention, CBU is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, the International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities, and the Consortium for Global Education.

 

Spirited crowds add to exciting basketball victories

The California Baptist University men’s and women’s basketball teams both soundly defeated Fresno Pacific University in front of a packed Van Dyne gym audience on Jan. 9. The back-to-back games drew more than 1,000 spectators per event, which was broadcast nationally on ESPN 3 as part of its NCAA Division II Game of the Week coverage.

A large portion of the crowd sported CBU T-shirts and some fans even painted CBU blue across their faces. The CBU “Crazies” helped lead the crowds in chants and cheers throughout the evening, creating an electric atmosphere in the gym.

“It was very exciting to go to a game that was covered by ESPN,” said Trisha Smith, a public relations freshman. “[The game] made me really happy to be a Lancer.”

The Lancer women won, 93-53. They improved their season record to 13-1 overall and 5-1 in the PacWest, and extended their winning streak to six-straight. They are currently ranked No. 5 in the NCAA Division II. The men’s team grabbed its third consecutive 100-plus point win, with a 108-95 victory. With the win, the Lancers move to 14-2 overall and 5-1 in the PacWest. The men’s team is currently ranked No. 8.

“This (women’s) game was one of the most fun games I’ve been to all year,” said Sarah Hernandez, a pre-nursing freshman. “Everyone in the crowd was really loud and spirited, and it made me get really into the game.”

Kamille Diaz, a shooting guard for the women’s squad, also enjoyed the enthusiasm of the crowd.

“We’ve never had a crowd like this; it was full since tip-off,” said Diaz. “The atmosphere of the crowd definitely helped the team.”

 

Spring 2016 semester begins at California Baptist University

California Baptist University kicked off the spring 2016 semester recently, starting off with orientation activities for freshman and transfer students.

New students moved into residential facilities Sunday, Jan. 3. The next day they attended a welcome session and luncheon. Later, students participated in the traditional Kugel Walk for newly enrolled students. Tradition calls for students to touch the Kugel, a floating granite globe structure that symbolizes Christ’s Great Commission, as they begin their educational experience at CBU.

FOCUS groups – short for “First-Year Orientation & Christian University Success” – began Jan. 4 to help acclimate students to campus life. Those groups will provide support for students as they begin their first semester at CBU.

Other activities planned for the new students included various information sessions, a resource fair and a festive dinner at Medieval Times in Buena Park.

Classes began for the spring 2016 semester on Jan. 6.

 

Recreation Center offers “Fitness Frenzy” week

Dozens of workout classes were highlighted at the California Baptist University Recreation Center recently to help members of the university community set and achieve realistic fitness routines.

Stefani Plummer, director of the CBU Recreation Center, said a common question heard at the center is, “What was your wagon?” Plummer said the question involves why someone quit a workout routine, or “fell off the wagon.”

“Having a realistic expectation is the key to a successful routine,” said Plummer. “Understanding what your potential wagon is could be is just as important.

“I hear of unrealistic goals all the time such as working out for 28 straight days,” she explained. “When you start a workout routine, you need to take into account all of your time commitments.”

Plummer said she wants to help students, staff and faculty minimize “the wagon effect.”

To help establish a realistic routine, Plummer’s team set up a program the first week of the semester called “Fitness Frenzy,” which offered a variety of exercise sample classes in a 30-minute format.

The assortment of workouts—such as Boxing Boot Camp, Bodyworks + ABS, Cycling or Cardio Kickboxing—displayed a healthy sampling of possible exercise routines for participants to join this semester.

“We wanted to find a way for people to try classes but to avoid the commitment right away, Plummer said. “These classes will give people a taste of what [the workouts are] like.”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Alex Chediak, professor of physics and engineering, had his book, Beating the College Debt Trap: Getting a Degree without Going Broke, published last month.

 

 

 

 

Noemi Hernandez Alexander, visiting professor of political science for Online and Professional Studies, presented research on California’s Social, Political, and Economic influences that lead to the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. The presentation was at the annual meeting of the Politics of Race, Immigration and Ethnicity Consortium held Nov. 20 at UC Riverside.

 

 

 

Audrey Meekins, financial aid loan counselor/debt management, was named CBU’s Employee of the Month for January. The nomination form included the following statements: “Dealing with potential defaulted students, requires a lot of patience and persistence. Often they may be frustrated, upset, or unwilling to resolve their issues. Audrey provides sound guidance and walks them through the process with clarity and patience. She was given the difficult task to lower the default rate.  She achieved the goal of reducing the rate to under 5% in just a few years.”

 

 

 

Dr. Lucas Stamps, assistant professor of Christian studies, wrote a chapter in a book, Locating Atonement: Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics, edited by Oliver D. Crisp and Fred Sanders, which was published in November. Stamps’ chapter was titled The Necessity of Dyothelitism for the Atonement.

 

 

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, associate professor of civil engineering, has been selected to receive the 2015 ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award by the ASCE Committee on Student Members. He was nominated for this award by the student officers of CBU ASCE student chapter, which he has served as a faculty advisor since 2012.

 

 

 

Dr. Kenneth Minesinger, associate professor of law for Online and Professional Studies, wrote an article, 2015 Conference of California Bar Associations, which was published in the December 2015 issue of the Riverside County Lawyer Magazine.

 

 

 

 

Krista Wagner, an English adjunct, recently had her book published. Rian Field is a mystery thriller.

 

 

 

 

Terri Thompson, assistant professor of nursing, received the first DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Faculty Award given at CBU on Dec. 11. This award is part of a national program that recognizes nursing faculty for their commitment and inspirational influence on their students. Her nomination included the following comments: She incorporates Christ in her teaching and everyday behavior; she is passionate about her work in OB and as an educator; she cares about her students and wants them to succeed.

 

 

 

The Academic Success Center hosted Late Night Study Hall on Dec. 13. Per tradition, Late Night Study Hall takes place the night before the start of finals in the fall and spring semesters. This year a record number of students, 410, attended the event. The staff at the Academic Success Center wants to thank the CBU community for supporting the students and specifically the faculty who attended and provided extra tutoring and educational support.

 

 

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, wrote a book review that was published in the December 2015 edition of Hispania. The review is titled Venegas Jose L. Transatlantic Correspondence: Modernity, Epistolarity, and Literature in Spain and Spanish America, 1898-1992.

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, assistant professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, co-authored two papers. The first, Faith-Based Hospitals and Variation in Psychiatric Inpatient Length of Stay in California, 2002–2011, was published in the Journal of Religion and Health in December. The second, Mental health and food consumption among California children 5–11 years of age, was published in Nutrition and Health in November/October.

 

 

 

Dr. Geneva Oaks, dean of the School of Nursing, and Dr. Susan Drummond, associate professor of nursing, co-authored an article, A Curriculum Found on Humanbecoming: Educational Endeavoring, that was published in the January issue of Nursing Science Quarterly.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Namhee Kim, assistant professor of communication disorders, and communication disorders students volunteered at a Christmas event for children with special needs and their families with The ARC  of Riverside County in Riverside on Dec. 19.

 

 

 

Sam Ramos (’13), residence director-Lancer Arms, and his wife, Emily (’13), welcomed their first child on Nov. 22. Jude Samuel Ramos weighed 8 pounds and 4 ounces and measured 19 inches long.

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

CBU chapel rings with the sounds and songs of Christmas

Sounds of Christmas filled the Van Dyne Gym during Wednesday’s chapel at California Baptist University.

Groups from the Collinsworth School of Music performed a mix of seasonal songs on Dec. 9.

The Jazz Band, conducted by Dr. Guy Holliday, began the festivities by playing as students walked into the chapel. Throughout the service, the Women’s Choir, New Song, Male Chorale and the Concert Band took turns performing.

The musicians brought joy and cheer to the occasion, performing songs such as “Christmastime,” “Mary, Did You Know,” “Winter Wonderland” and “You Are Worthy.”

There was also talk about Christmas traditions.

“Christmas is a time for wonderful traditions. I’m sure you have several of them in your home as I do in mine,” Holliday said. He then led the Concert Band in a musical score for Clement Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas,” while Dr. Glenn Pickett, associate professor of music, narrated.

Later, Holliday got the audience involved by having them clap and stomp a beat to accompany the Jazz Band performance of “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”

Before the Women’s Choir performed “Carol of the Kings,” vocalist Sarah Bryant addressed the audience and proclaimed that while Jesus had a humble birth, nevertheless He was heralded by angels and the wise men.

“Let us not forget the Magi,” she said. “Jesus may have been born into the most humble of circumstances, but kings would come and visit and bow down before him.”

 

CBU reaffirms commitment to safety and security

The department of public safety at California Baptist University reaffirmed its commitment to campus safety and security in an email distributed to students staff and faculty and posted on the university intranet portal.

“It is important that all members of the California Baptist University community are confident that the university takes seriously matters of safety and security,” James Walters, director of public safety, wrote.

Walters described procedures the university follows to provide security, including:

• CBU monitors potentially dangerous incidents as they occur, giving special attention to any that occur near the campus.
• CBU works closely with Riverside Police Department to identify and address any threats to the campus or surrounding area. Patrols and staffing are adjusted as deemed appropriate.
• CBU is committed to providing timely notification as needed to keep the community informed of safety concerns around the school.
• CBU maintains and constantly reviews its “in-place” emergency procedures to ensure they remain relevant and useful to any threat to the university community.

Walters also noted that the combined efforts of students, faculty and staff are essential to a helping ensure a safe campus environment.

“If you believe something is ‘not right,’ tell someone in a position of authority. The university’s safety services department is available 24 hours,” he wrote.

The safety services department can be reached by calling 951-343-4311.

 

Musician Tyrone Wells plays his special brand of music at chapel

Chapel at California Baptist University was filled with humor and wit as recording artist Tyrone Wells spoke and performed worship music and other songs on Dec. 7.

Wells, a preacher’s kid and the youngest of five children, said the gospel “runs in his blood.” But instead of preaching, Wells said he decided to pursue his passion for music. His folk-pop songs have been featured in films and television shows, and he even has been asked by friends and fans to sing at marriage proposals.

Wells shared stories of awkward situations he experienced as a musician. For instance, he once ended up playing his “sensitive love songs” in front of “big” NFL football players and coaches at a birthday party.

Wells also told a story of how he became a yodeler.

“When I turned 13, my dad grabbed me and told me he had to tell me something,” he said.

It turns out Wells’ grandma was a yodeler, his dad became a yodeler, and he wanted to pass it down as a tradition to Wells. Wells then proceeded to perform a song showcasing his yodeling heritage.

“You probably didn’t expect to hear that today,” he told the audience.

Speaking about his song “Simple Life,” Wells said he was inspired by the message of Micah 6:8 to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.

Wells also encouraged those going through difficulties.

“Life is hard. We can have dark thoughts,” he said. “However, God put you here at CBU for a reason. He has a plan for you.”

 

“Autumn Arbor Day” event highlights stewardship efforts

About 40 students, faculty and staff of California Baptist University helped make the CBU campus a little greener at an Autumn Arbor Day service project on Dec. 5.

Five teams were assigned to planting trees in parking lots and cultivating and laying down new mulch for a big eucalyptus tree in the Colony residential area.

Ed Schmachtenberger, manager of grounds and landscaping, said there are plans to plant as many as 50 additional trees around campus.

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, assistant professor of environmental science, attended the event with his family. He said it was a wonderful opportunity for students to connect with nature.

“We talk about a lot of these things in the classroom, but when students get an opportunity to come out, be involved, get a little bit of exercise and be a part of it, they will always remember being involved in the community and making it look better, but also making the Earth look better,” he said.

Emily Borden, a creative writing sophomore, helped replace the mulch.

“I’m happy anytime trees are planted and I’m happy that I could help this tree flourish,” she said.

CBU is one of nine higher education institutions in California designated as a Tree Campus USA college by a program implemented by the Arbor Day Foundation.

 

Drone seminar lands at CBU, looks at safety issues and careers

The increasing popularity of unmanned aircraft systems led California Baptist University and local authorities to co-sponsor a seminar about drone safety and more on Dec. 5.

The seminar, held in CBU’s Wallace Theatre and open to the public, featured speakers from the Riverside fire and police departments, the Federal Aviation Administration, CBU and other aviation experts.

“We’re not here to tell you guys you can’t fly your drones, we just want you to do so safely,” said Jeff Ratkovich, a Riverside police officer.

William Shellhous, Riverside fire department division chief, explained how drones could affect firefighters attempting to do their jobs.

“We need everyone to fly responsibly,” said Shellhous. “When individuals deploy drones to get pictures of large fires without adhering to safety codes, there is a danger that drones can collide into helicopters on the scene.”

Later in the seminar, the focus shifted to career opportunities in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

Dr. Daniel Prather, chair of the CBU aviation science program, talked about a career in the UAS industry. He said an estimated 70,000 jobs were created in the first three years since drones have been on the commercial market.

Prather said jobs involving drones include power-line mapping, animal protection, precision agriculture and public safety careers.

“There are lots of [UAS] jobs out there. There are big companies looking for people,” said Shannon Cardin, CBU flight instructor II, who piloted drones over Afghanistan as a contractor for the U.S. government, doing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

Cardin said in his experience, employers are hiring UAS pilots who have technical degrees, UAS experience and aviation knowledge.

“All the information that was given was pretty helpful,” said George Moreira, a kinesiology senior who attended the seminar. “I didn’t even know that you can use a drone for commercial gain before [the seminar]. I also didn’t know that there were so many restrictions on flying drones.”

 

38 teams, 360 volunteers preparing to serve in 16 countries

Excitement filled the air as plans were announced Dec. 3 to mark the 20^th year of global outreach and service by students, staff and faculty members at California Baptist University.

The Team Reveal event organized by the CBU Office of Mobilization is held annually to announce teams for International Service Projects, United States Projects and Summer of Service. In 2016, some 360 students and team leaders will make up 38 teams that are scheduled to serve in 16 countries.

The theme for 2016 is “Seek” and the theme scripture passage is Colossians 3:1-2: Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth (NASB).

“We want you to seek Him,” Jeff Lewis, interim director of Global Mobilization, told volunteers. “We want you to seek after the Word of God as He is the greatest mobilizer. This is something that should be done every second of every day.”

Students shared their excitement as they learned of their assignments and met team members.

Sarah Hom, an undeclared freshman, will be serving in Canada.

“I couldn’t stop smiling once I learned where I am going,” she said. “I was surprised because I never thought of Canada as a place to do missions work, but I am excited.”

Garret Denbaugh, a kinesiology sophomore and returning ISP participant, is on a team going to Southeast Asia.

“Last year my favorite part was getting to know my team. We got to see each other grow and share the Word of God,” he said. “I hope to have the same experience this year. I want us all to grow and have a heart for service as we go overseas.”

Lewis encouraged the participants and offered a challenge for their service.

“Those who do not know God are robbing His name of its due glory,” he said. “We must share the Word with these regions.”

 

CBU community celebrates Christmas season with annual party

Students, faculty and staff welcomed the holiday season at the annual California Baptist University Christmas Party on the Front Lawn on Dec. 1

The event, organized by Associated Students of California Baptist University, drew hundreds of people. Guests who entered the Front Lawn area through a flurry of “snow” propelled by a fan were greeted with decorative lights and Christmas music.

CBU President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis opened the evening with a reading of the Christmas story found in Luke 2, which tells about the birth of Jesus. Ellis then led the lighting of the Christmas tree on the front lawn.

“The whole atmosphere was great. There was music playing, and the Christmas tree added to the holiday spirit,” said Karis Mooney, a freshman business administration major.

The party featured Christmas-themed bounce houses, several holiday photo opportunity areas, a sledding hill and a cookie-decorating station. Attendees also could participate in a variety of contests such as an eggnog chug, a pie-eating contest and an ugly sweater competition.

Students enjoyed the holiday atmosphere and used the occasion to spend time with friends.

“My favorite thing was the community and walking around with some of my closest friends,” said Shelby Frisby, a kinesiology freshman. “I loved everything from making cookies to the snow.”

Sarah Hom, an undeclared freshman, enjoyed taking pictures in front of the Christmas tree.

“The event definitely captured the holiday spirit and was very fun,” she said.

 

CBU alumna encourages students to discover passion

From a young age, Jennifer O’Farrell (’00) had a passion for “healing hearts.” However, it was not until she acted on her heart’s desires that her passion turned into reality, she told California Baptist University students.

O’Farrell is the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire and a founding member of The Pick Group, a non-profit organization geared toward young professionals in Riverside that engage civically for the betterment of the city. She spoke as part of the School of Behavioral Sciences’ Culture and Justice Lecture Series on Nov. 19.

A quote by Nelson Mandela,  anti-apartheid activist and President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, provided the focus for her remarks: “It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us … When we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people the freedom to do the same.”

O’Farrell said students should try to find a ministry opportunity in their current season of life. O’Farrell encouraged students to bridge the gap in their communities with those who are less privileged. She suggested mentoring in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

Additionally, O’Farrell advised students to look within themselves to discover their passion and then take action to start change even if the change they seek is difficult.

“When we expose our heart’s desires, we have to own up to it,” she said.

 

Civil rights activist, “Freedom Rider” speaks at CBU

Helen Singleton, civil rights activist, encouraged California Baptist University students to address racism with dialogue on Nov. 18.

CBU hosted an evening that reflected on the historic events of the civil rights demonstrations of 1961 known as the Freedom Rides. Singleton discussed her involvement in the movement after a showing of part of the film, “Freedom Riders,” the fourth and final film in the acclaimed documentary series “Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle.”

Singleton shared a moment that awakened her understanding of racial tensions in the U.S.

“Pulling out of Washington, D.C., I, in my younger age, could feel the tension in the car. My parents voices dropped and they looked around nervously. We were entering enemy territory,” said Singleton.

This event as a child would also be an inspiration for her decision to participate in the Freedom Rides as a college student years later, she said.

Singleton was one of the 300 plus Freedom Riders, black and white, students and activists, who boarded buses to challenge the segregation laws of the South. Singleton was arrested on her ride and charged with disturbing the peace. Later, she was released.

Three months after the Freedom Rides, the Interstate Commerce Commission issued an order to desegregate public transportation.

Singleton said a life of preparation helps to make tough decisions.

“Preparation is always something that you need, if you want to be involved in life,” she said. Singleton expressed admiration for her fellow civil rights activists Rosa Parks and Ella Baker, saying both were prepared and organized individuals.

Sarah Hernandez, pre-nursing freshman, appreciated Singleton’s story.

“When she talked about why she got involved with the Freedom Riders and the racism she felt as a child it was especially powerful. It’s one thing to talk about racism in general, but it’s another to hear someone’s first-hand experience with it,” Hernandez said.

 

Dean encourages students to use influence in positive ways

“Power and influence are not the same. Leadership and influence are functions, not a position,” Dr. Craig Jackson said at the California Baptist University College of Health Science’s Distinguished Lecture Series on Nov. 16.

Jackson is the dean of the School of Allied Health Professions at Loma Linda University Health (LLUH) and a global health educator. He has been instrumental in helping establish new allied health programs including a one-of-a-kind rehabilitation technician program in Haiti. He was also instrumental in establishing respiratory care education in Saudi Arabia and remains involved in health and mental health education in countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Jackson highlighted the differences between power and influence.

“Influence comes from you. Power may be granted to you in terms of a position, but influence is from you,” Jackson said.

He then challenged the audience members to consider what their influence may be.

“It’s not a matter of whether or not we have influence. The question is whether or not it is positive. It is part of the integrity you develop as you think about leadership,” Jackson said.

Jackson also talked about how he and other department leaders at LLUH integrate faith into their work.

“When we have our meetings, we talk about the ideas of our spiritual gifts. We also talk about how we must lead by example and to us Christ is the best example of selfless, serving leadership,” Jackson said. “We always go back to this and I integrate it into my teachings.”

 

CBU garners top spots in state, national rankings

California Baptist University has received high rankings for programs and other offerings—including two “No. 1” recognitions—on websites that compare colleges and universities nationwide.

Niche.com and Christian Universities Online both included CBU in rankings released this month on numerous “Best” lists for 2016.

Niche ranked CBU No. 1 in California and No. 6 nationally for “Best College Food.”  In the site’s “Best College Campus” list, CBU placed No. 2 in California and No. 13 nationally.

Additionally, Niche ranked CBU No. 1 in California and No. 7 nationwide in its “Best College Dorms” list.

CBU placed No. 3 in the Niche list of “Best Christian Colleges” in California.

The Niche 2016 Best College rankings are based on numerous statistical analysis, according to the site. For instance, in the Best Food category, Niche used an analysis of 1,713 colleges to assess significant factors such as average meal plan cost along with student reviews of food quality. The Best College Campus standings take into account the quality of housing, food services and students’ reviews of the campus.

Christian Universities Online ranked CBU No. 32 in the nation among “Top Christian Colleges and Universities Exceeding Expectations in 2016.” The ranking methodology was based on gathering data on each college’s predicted graduation rate compared to its actual graduation rate and then ranking the colleges based on the difference between those two variables.

Earlier this year, CBU earned several top-40 rankings by U.S. News and World Report in the categories of “Best Regional University,” “Best Colleges for Veterans,” and “Best Online Degree Programs.”

Family Updates

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor of communication disorders, co-presented a paper at the American Speech Language Hearing Association’s annual convention held Nov. 12-14 in Denver. The title of the paper was Integrating the ICF into graduate education: Training students to provide person centered care.

 

 

 

 

Evoke Magazine, a student-produced publication of CBU/Online, won a Capella Award at the Public Relations Society of America Inland Empire’s Polaris Award ceremony for the 2014 and 2105 editions. The ceremony was held at Center Stage in Fontana on Nov. 18.  Leticia Juarez, an ABC7 reporter, was a special guest at the event. Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations, and Sam Park, assistant professor of graphic design and digital media, both for Online and Professional Studies, serve as faculty advisers for the publication, which is published annually.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Torria Davis, instructional designer for Online and Professional Studies, had her book, Visual Design for Online Learning, published in October. She also presented content from the book at the International Online Learning Consortium Conference held Oct. 14-16 in Orlando, Florida.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Thomas Frederick, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Kristen M. White, assistant professor of psychology, both for Online and Professional Studies, published a study, Mindfulness, Christian Devotion Meditation, Surrender, and Worry in the journal Mental Health, Religion, and Culture, volume 18, issue 9.

 

 

 

Dale Lee, Information and Technology Services assistant director for projects and information security, received certification as a certified information security manager from ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association) in October. The intent of the certification is to provide a common body of knowledge for information security management. Certification requirements include passing an exam and three years of experience in IT security management.

 

 

 

Dr. Mario A. Oyanader, associate professor of chemical engineering, co-authored three presentations made at the annual meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers held in Salt Lake City on Nov. 8-13. Two students, Stephen Dueck and Steffano Oyanader, were co-authors, research collaborators and presenters. The presentations were on the topics of fluid flow fractionation and electrophoresis.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Shasha Zheng, assistant professor of nutrition, was a keynote presenter at the Food Chemistry and Technology Conference Nov. 16-18 in San Francisco. She spoke on Phytonutrients and Antioxidant Activity in Traditional, Native American Edible Plants from Southern California.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeff Cate, professor of New Testament, presented a paper, Learning from the Scribes: Using Variant Readings and Marginal Comments as Interpretive Tools for John’s Apocalypse, during the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Atlanta on Nov. 22.

 

 

 

Dr. Veola Vazquez, associate professor of psychology, presented Rekindling Compassion: Supporting Parents, Co-workers and Yourself at the Riverside County Office of Education Child Services Unit Staff Development session on Nov. 20.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, assistant professor of public health, and Dr. Dominick Sturz, associate professor of public health, both for Online and Professional Studies, hosted two round-table sessions at the Annual Southern California Public Health Association Conference held in Los Angeles on Nov. 12.  Their sessions, titled I’ve graduated with an MPH/DrPH, now what?, focused on the transition from graduate student into working professionals in the field of public health.

 

 

Shawn Wilhite, assistant professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, attended the Evangelical Theological Society Annual Meeting on Nov. 17-19. There he presented a paper, The Reception of Biblical Traditions in the Didache: The Social and Hermeneutical Effect of Received Traditions, and was a panel member for The Didache: A Study of Nascent Christianity. He also attended the Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting on Nov. 20-23. He presented a paper, Atonement and Cultic Cosmology: Reception of Heavenly Atonement in Origen of Alexandria’s Reading of Hebrews, and presided over a study group, History of Interpretation: Apocalyptic Texts and the Psalter in Early and Medieval Interpretation. Both events took place in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

Dr. Keanon Alderson, associate professor of business, published a paper in the Experiential Entrepreneurship Exercises Journal, Volume 1, Issue 4. The article, Micro-Enterprise Group Project: Start a small business with $20.00, details a class project he created that teaches business skills and donates the profits to homeless charities. So far, the classes have raised almost $6,000.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, taught a two-day Ground Operator Safety Training course to 25 airport professionals responsible for airside and landside safety and security of Terminal 4 at JFK International Airport in New York City on Nov. 12-13. On Nov. 17-19, he and seven aviation science students attended the National Business Aviation Association Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas. There, he co-presented a session, Certified Aviation Managers and Professional Development Program.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, served on a panel presented by the University of La Verne’s Leo Public Relations Club on Nov. 17. The panel topic was titled Journey to Success.

 

 

 

 

The CBU Civil Engineering Department was recognized by the APWA (American Public Works Association) – Inland Empire Branch with a donation of $1,000 at an award luncheon on Nov. 13 in Yucaipa. In addition, two civil engineering students, Jasmine Pang and Ricky Carillo, received scholarships ($1,500 each).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. H. Bruce Stokes, professor of anthropology and behavioral sciences, served on the translation team that recently updated the Amplified Bible. For the update to the Amplified Bible, which was released in October, the goal of the team was to enhance the appeal of the Amplified Bible by refreshing the English and refining the amplifications for relevance and clarity.

 

 

 

CBU engineering students toured a power plant with the sponsorship of Kiewit Construction, one of the world’s biggest contractors, on Nov. 13. Forty students and two faculty members visited the power plant located in San Diego. The visit helped students understand how their classroom education is applied in the field, and they were able to connect and network with professionals.

 

 

Dr. Namhee Kim, assistant professor of communication disorders, presented a poster, Overall and developmental patterns of consonant manner repetition in early words, at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Annual Convention in Denver on Nov. 13.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Sean Sullivan, professor of kinesiology, presented a paper, Thinking Christianly About Sport and the Body: A View of from the Academic Ranks, at the Baylor University Institute for Faith and Learning: Spirit of Sports conference on Nov. 7 in Waco, Texas.

 

 

 

 

Heather Hamilton-Stilwell, assistant professor of journalism, presented two papers at the Religious Communication Association Conference on Nov. 18. The papers were titled Reflections of Discipleship: Blends of Community and Communication in D. Bonhoeffer and J. K. A. Smith’s writings and I Don’t Make Mistakes: Overhearing the Value that God Gives Each Life in Max Lucado’s Children’s Narratives. She also presented papers at the National Communication Association Conference Nov. 19-22. The titles were Beyond One Size Fits All: Using Mediated HIPS (High Impact Practices) to Increase Educational Opportunities for Learning with a Disability and Helping Children Cope: Embracing the Role and Effectiveness of Medically Themed Media. A third paper—Mediated Opportunities for Better Disability Communication: A Rhetorical Analysis of A Visitor Who Uses Leg Braces, a Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Episode, and Empathy at School, a Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Episode—was selected for the top paper panel within the Disability Issues Caucus. Both events were held in Las Vegas.

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, presented a paper, The Crisis of Ecology, Global Warming, and the Responsibility of Readers and Scholars of Literature, at the 2015 Guadalajara International Book Fair in Guadalajara, Mexico, held Nov. 28-Dec. 6.

 

 

 

 

 

CBU’s Students of Nursing Association’s Christmas tree won the prize for Santa’s Favorite at Riverside University Medical Center Foundation’s Festival of Trees held Nov. 25-29 at the Riverside Convention Center. Students decorated a Minion-themed tree. They were sponsored by Provider Contract Food Company, and the tree was purchased by the Haider Spine Center. The funds were donated to the pediatric department of Riverside University Medical Center.

 

 

 

 

Kailee Williamson received a full scholarship to play softball at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. She is the daughter of Sandi Williamson, data entry clerk for Facilities and Planning Services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hector Jimenez, assistant professor of music, and his wife, Jessica, welcomed twin girls Nov. 4. Sarai Babirye Jimenez weighed 5 pounds and Eden Kaudha Jimenez weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces.

 

 

 

 

 

Lupe Solano, administrative assistant for University Advancement, welcomed her first grandchild, Vivianne Chamberland, who was born in Moreno Valley on Nov. 25. She weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 19.5 inches long.

 

 

 

 

 

Traci Williams, enrollment process administrator for Online and Professional Studies, and her husband, Dan, finalized the adoption of their son, Jason Bennett Williams, 1, on Nov. 13.

 

 

 

 

 

Nicole Gooch (’09), financial aid loan counselor, and her husband, Glenn (’15), welcomed their daughter Leah Grace Gooch on Aug. 7. She weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces, measured 19.75 inches long and is the first grandchild of Rhonda Shackelford, undergraduate admissions visits and events coordinator.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

“Take it Outside II” attracts thousands of wrestling fans

California Baptist University’s “Take It Outside II” drew 2,082 avid wrestling fans on Nov.14.  The second annual event was held on the CBU Front Lawn, where a temporary wrestling venue was erected to host the match between the NCAA Division II Lancers and D-I opponent California State University, Bakersfield.

The event also featured Stephen Neal, a two-time D-I individual champion wrestler for the Bakersfield Roadrunners. Neal, who also was a guard for the NFL New England Patriots and was part of three Super Bowl championship teams, signed autographs and posed for photos before the wrestling began.

Although CBU lost the event 28-12, several Lancer wrestlers won individual matches.

Anthony Racobaldo, a 133-pound wrestler, won in dramatic fashion pinning his opponent in the last second of the match. Brady Bersano, a 149-pound wrestler, won by a score of 10-4. Additionally, in the heavyweight division Joe Fagiano had a narrow 7-6 win.

“You don’t get to watch wrestling outdoors every day,” said Andrew Carrion, a health science sophomore. “Even though it was hot, it was fun. It was great because all my friends came, too.”

The enthusiasm of the CBU’s crowd was evident throughout the event. “I made it [to the event] just in time to see the last match and I’m glad I did. The wrestling was great and the crowd got wild. I could hear the crowd across campus as I arrived,” said Nolan Falconieri, a criminal justice sophomore.

The event also attracted future collegiate grapplers.

“It is great to come out and see college wrestling,” said Julien Rivera, a wrestler for Hillcrest High School in Riverside. “It is different from what I see everyday and I would love to compete at such a competitive level someday.”

 

CBU packs shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child

Hundreds of California Baptist University students, staff, faculty and their families worked diligently to pack more than 550 gift shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) on Nov. 12.

OCC is a project of Samaritan’s Purse that has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to more than 124 million children affected by war, poverty, natural disasters and other crises.  The gift boxes have reached approximately 150 countries and territories since 1993.  Some of the gifts items include hygiene products, clothes, school supplies and toys.

More than 750 participants packed the CBU Recreation Center gym to fill boxes with donations that were spread out on tables.

Planning and organizing the event was a months-long effort that included help from many departments on campus, said Julie Dobbins, assistant director of chapel and compassion ministries and event organizer. Schools and departments provided donations for the shoeboxes as well, she said.

Volunteers also had the opportunity to write a special message on a card for the child who receives the box.

“My favorite part was filling out the card and sharing [a note] with the child,” said Victoria Neal, an early childhood studies junior. “I also like knowing that the boxes are going to such a great cause.”

Dobbins said the turnout for OCC has nearly tripled in size since its introduction four years ago.

“Operation Christmas Child is Gospel-centered, so we are giving a gift that is tangible but it also allows those who deliver the boxes a chance to share the Gospel,” she added. “Getting involved with this is a great opportunity for students.”

 

CBU brings Bradbury’s cautionary “Fahrenheit 451” to life

Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451” comes to life in the Wallace Theatre this weekend as the second production of the fall semester at California Baptist University.

Bradbury’s play, published in 1979, is based on his 1953 book with the same title, which refers to the temperature at which paper ignites. Fahrenheit 451 is a story of a futuristic dystopian society where books are illegal. Ironically, in Bradbury’s classic tale the job of firemen is not to put out fires, but to burn books.

Fireman Guy Montag befriends Clarisse, a teenager who is a reader and is part of the resistance. As a result, Montag becomes increasingly skeptical of what he is doing.

Frank Mihelich, assistant professor of theatre and the play’s director, made a few changes to the storyline. Instead of taking place in the future, the play’s setting is in modern times where reading and possessing books is illegal and the laws against such acts are strictly enforced. Mihelich said he wants the audience to consider that modern society could be only a few choices away from producing such a reality.

“At its heart, ‘Fahrenheit 451’ is a cautionary tale,” Mihelich said.

Katie Kostecka, a sophomore journalism and theatre double major, plays Clarisse. Clarisse never sways on her beliefs, despite the suppression happening around her, Kostecka said.

“I think political correctness is a big topic in society today,” she said. “People would rather avoid topics, eliminating them completely, rather than have the tough conversations.

“Clarisse is not afraid of those topics, and she is not afraid to stand out rather than fit the mold society wishes to place her in,” Kostecka said.

Performances are Thursday, Nov. 19, through Saturday, Nov. 21, with performances each evening at 7:30 p.m. and a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. General admission tickets are $15, with discounts offered for senior citizens and CBU students, faculty, staff and alumni.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Wallace Theatre box office at 951-343-4319.

 

CBU professor views artistic pursuits as “co-creating with God”

Artistic pursuits amount to being a “co-creator” with God, Dirk Dallas, assistant professor of graphic arts at California Baptist University, told the Harvest Christian Fellowship Creative Collective on Nov. 10.

The Harvest Creative Collective is a gathering of Christians who seek to use their creative endeavors to bring glory to God. Speaking to the Collective, Dallas introduced himself as a “professor, space nerd, photographer and a father.”

Dallas said he originally sought to be a teacher but discovered that was not his passion. After a conversation with his girlfriend (now wife), Alicia, he began pursuing creative work—first at a design school and then at Harvest as a graphic designer. Mike Berger, assistant professor of graphic design, offered Dallas an opportunity to teach a graphic design course at CBU after learning about his work at Harvest. Dallas accepted, then began to teach more classes and eventually was offered a full-time faculty position.

Included in his creative portfolio is an impressive photography resume. Dallas has shot advertising photos for clients including Nike, Ford Fusion and football star Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks.

Yet, even with such outstanding professional accomplishments, Dallas said his ultimate satisfaction is found in Christ and his artistic aim is to create with Him.

“For me, as I started thinking about creation and being a creator, I really see myself as a co-creator with God,” he said.

 

CBU professor receives prestigious education award

Dr. Heather Williams, California Baptist University adjunct professor of education, was awarded the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) 2015 Professor of Education of the Year award for her work in training the next generation of educational leaders. Williams received the award at the ACSA’s Leadership Summit on Nov. 5-7 in Sacramento.

Williams came to CBU five years ago. “I specifically wanted to teach at CBU because I appreciate the opportunity to connect my faith with the instruction,” she said. “It is important for me to help students see the gifts that God has given them and how they can use those gifts to bless others.”

Williams said she notices that CBU students aspire to make a positive impact on the students they serve.

“I so appreciate the students’ pure desire to make a difference,” she said. “They have a commitment to impacting children’s lives for the better and they take that commitment seriously.”

Williams also serves as director of human resources for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. Previously she worked as director of human resources, director of special education and principal in the Chino Valley Unified School District.

“Dr. Williams is as committed to the growth of her college students as she is to the growth of the students she serves in the K-12 public school system,” wrote Dawn Nishanian, human resource manager at San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, who nominated Williams for the award.

 

CBU Flying Lancers compete in regional aviation event

Twenty aviation science students from California Baptist University took to the skies of La Verne to compete in the National Intercollegiate Flying Association Region II competition on Nov. 2-6. This was the second year the Flying Lancers competed in this event.

The students participated in numerous ground and flight competitive events such as Power-Off Landing, Navigation, Message Drop, Aircraft Preflight Inspection and Crew Resource Management.

Flying Lancers Phil Marlin, dropmaster and Cole Lanphere, pilot, placed third in the Message Drop competition; and Hannah Guajardo, pilot flying, and Lacey Schimming, pilot not flying, finished fifth place in the Crew Resource Management competition.

“We are proud of the Flying Lancers’ efforts,” said Dr. Daniel Prather, chair of the Department of Aviation Science. “These students always inspire their competitors during the competition, and as we look forward to the 2016 competition, we’ll learn from our experience and set our sights even higher.”

 

Homecoming events attract large crowds to campus

Homecoming activities at California Baptist University drew an estimated 7,500 alumni and friends to campus on Nov. 7-8.

Friday evening, the annual Alumni Awards Dinner hosted a sold-out event to recognize several alumni who span decades of achievements: Bill Pierpoint (’68), recipient of the Lancer Medal for Lifetime Achievement Award; Todd Knowles (’85), Alumnus of the Year Award; Daniel Bishop (‘06), recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award; and Randy McWhorter (’78), recipient of the Distinguished Service in Christian Ministry Award.

“While it has been a great honor and encouragement for me to be selected as an honoree for 2015, it’s even more encouraging to see the blessing being poured out by the Lord as He leads and guides the vast number of faculty, staff, students and benefactors of CBU,” said Knowles, who was unable to attend, in a letter that was read to the audience.

Bishop reflected on his time at CBU. “I’m thankful that in the Lord’s sovereignty. He brought me to California Baptist University to learn from professors like Dr. Chris Morgan and Dr. Dan Wilson. I can’t imagine learning from people who I respect and trust more than them.”

On Saturday, the festivities shifted outside with a Block Party featuring games, activities, live music, food and academic displays for the whole family.

“I had so much fun out there,” said Mitchell Collard, freshman, who played the drums for CBU’s Jazz group that performed at the Block Party. “I love playing jazz and I also love church music. At CBU I get to put these two loves together and seek to glorify God. That’s just awesome.”

Senior Brittany Ferrier volunteered at the Associated Students’ display, handing out free T-shirts to students who voted for Mr. and Ms. CBU.

“This was the event that made me want to come to CBU,” Ferrier said. “The event really shows CBU has a lot of school spirit and a strong sense of community.”

At 3 p.m., hundreds of Homecoming attendees filled Stamps Courtyard for the inaugural “Zest”ival music event, featuring Christian recording artist Danny Gokey.

The annual Fortuna Bowl championship games on Saturday evening drew an estimated 4,500 spectators. Bombshell won the women’s game and Goon Squad came out on top on the men’s side after five overtime periods. Katelynn Liddell was crowned Ms. CBU and Luke Henderson was crowned Mr. CBU during the evening’s festivities. The night also featured a firework show during a break in the men’s overtime thriller.

 

Christian artist Danny Gokey sings of hope at CBU Homecoming

Stamps Courtyard at California Baptist University was filled with stomping, hand swaying and singing Nov. 7 as Christian artist Danny Gokey promoted the theme of hope and redemption through Jesus Christ.

Gokey, an “American Idol” alumnus, performed at the inaugural “Zest”ival music event as part of Homecoming weekend.

“Zest”ival combined music with Riverside County’s rich citrus heritage, featuring the free concert along with lemon and orange flavored ice cream treats. In the true music festival spirit, students and families spread out blankets and set up lawn chairs to enjoy Gokey’s performance.

Gokey gained public attention in season eight of “American Idol,” when he auditioned for the show just four weeks after the death of his first wife, Sophia. His talent and story of loss captivated viewers as he advanced to place third in the vocal competition.

Since his “American Idol” days, Gokey has released two albums and a Christmas album is on the way. Now remarried, he is also involved in children’s outreach in Nashville and Milwaukee through his foundation Sophia’s Heart, which he founded in memory of his late wife.

Gokey shared his testimony of grief and subsequent healing through Christ, telling the crowd at one point, “I believe God wants to do something supernatural, even on this lawn outside.”

He performed several songs from his latest album including his lead single, “Hope in Front of Me.” The music carried a message of restoration and hope in Jesus Christ and energized the crowd with upbeat tempos and rhythms.

Gokey also led the crowd in worship as students and families sang along to the songs of hope. He reminded the audience members to “take every moment as it comes and live for the now.”

“He [came across] very relatable despite his fame,” said Morgan Jones, a sophomore and political science major. “He engaged with the people and related to all age groups.”

 

CBU crowns intramural flag football champions at Fortuna Bowl

Out of the 28 California Baptist University intramural flag football teams that started at the beginning of the year, the last four standing faced off on Nov 7. Bombshell captured the Fortuna Bowl championship trophy on the women’s side and Goon Squad on the men’s side. An estimated 4,500 spectators turned out for the two games.

In the women’s game, Bombshell, a first-year squad, defeated The Bus Drivers, 6-0, denying The Bus Drivers back-to-back championships.

“The desire to play our best brings us together,” said Monica Overton, a freshman applied theology major and a team captain for Bombshell. Overton was named most valuable player of the game as she scored the only touchdown.

Overton said her team set out to build community, work together and also keep their hearts on glorifying God on and off the field.

“That has brought us close and kept us close, as not just a team, but as a family,” Overton said.

The men’s match-up pitted Goon Squad, a third-year team, against Fruit of the Boom, which lost in last year’s championship game.

The game turned into a marathon with five overtime periods. A break midway through the final overtime period allowed the fireworks show to take place as the game had gone longer than anticipated. When play resumed, Goon Squad scored the last touchdown and came out on top, 18-12.

“I think we have bonded very well (this season). It has been difficult for us because most of the team are commuters and transfer students so we all have very different schedules. But when we are together, it’s always been a good time,” said Michael Castillo, a senior healthcare administration major and Goon Squad team captain.

 

Homecoming activities start with dynamic chapel service

California Baptist University students and staff began the Homecoming weekend with a chapel service featuring a pair of talented Christian communicators. Danny Gokey, Christian recording artist, led worship and Daniel Bishop (’06), lead pastor at The Grove Community Church and recipient of the 2015 Young Alumni of the Year Award, delivered the message.

While singing the song “How He Loves,” Gokey spoke about God’s deep love that can overcome any obstacle. He also offered a passionate prayer over the students, asking God to bless their endeavors.

Bishop said while college students are trying to figure out what their dreams are for their lives, they should remember that God’s dream for their lives is to partner with Him.

“It’s very easy to think about all of your dreams, your dream job and what you want to do with your life,” Bishop said. “God wants you to think about His dreams and the dreams He has for your life, and the things that He has planned out for you.”

Bishop said a passage from Philippians 1 shows a partnership between the Apostle Paul and the church at Philippi. He said both believed in Jesus and both wanted to advance the gospel. Bishop encouraged students to embrace the same goals.

“It’s not bad to want a great job and pursue your dreams,” he said. “Just realize that God cares more about His saving work in your life than any other work that you could do for Him.”

Bishop told the students they were at CBU for a reason, and it is more than just preparing them for a job.

“God is saying, ‘As you’re planning out your life, as you’re making all these dreams, don’t forget about Me,’” Bishop said.

There are ways to determine if a dream or plan is from God, Bishop said. First, ask God, and then know that his dreams will always line up with scripture and that He will also use others to affirm your choices, Bishop said.

“When the Lord gets hold of your life, there is no greater cause for you to be a part of than spreading the gospel and being a part of His plan and His dream for all nations to know who He is,” Bishop said. “That’s His dream, that’s His plan, that’s what He wants us to be a part of. His dream is not to make our dreams come true.”

 

Alumni prep CBU students for life after graduation

California Baptist University students received advice from alumni about the workforce and how to land their first job after college at the Career Center’s “Footstep to Follow” event, on Nov. 5.

The event consisted of a panel of seven alumni who represented a diverse workforce. The panelists were engineer Michael Sampson (’11), teacher Jackie Gray (’08), pastor Daniel Bishop (’06), nurse Whitney Jarboe (’14), developer Mike Turrell (’13), non-profit director Jennifer O’Farrell (’00), and police officer Nick Cantino (’11). The panel was moderated by Makenna Lammons, president of the Associated Students of CBU.

In discussing what students can do to prepare for the workforce, O’Farrell encouraged students to graduate with a diverse skillset.

“Because most of the individuals I’m hiring are coming right out of college, I’m looking for someone well-rounded,” said O’Farrell, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire. “What I’m looking for is problem-solving and critical thinking, and internships are our way of assessing [potential candidates].”

Other panelists also described what they look for in a recent graduate.

“I want to see how you interact with people,” said Bishop, lead pastor at The Grove Community Church. “If you can’t have a conversation with me and engage me, then I’m not going to be interested in you working with other people or people at our church.”

Freshman Stephanie Gonzales attended the event to learn about landing a job after graduation.

“I found this event really beneficial because it helped me realize the real world out there,” she said. “In college you’re learning about how to prepare yourself for that job, but it’s great to hear from people who are actually in it.”

 

Yosemite excursion a popular CBU Community Life adventure

California Baptist University’s Community Life is scheduled to embark on its latest outdoor adventure with another excursion to the Yosemite National Park on Nov. 21-24. Students will camp, hike and enjoy God’s creation as well as form new friendships along the way.

Community Life’s Outdoor Adventures program helps students take advantage of natural wonders such as Yosemite National Park, Mammoth Mountain and the beaches of the Pacific coast. The program provides transportation, gear and most of the food for a small fee.

In Yosemite, the group will camp, learn how to cook outdoors, and hike to places such as Artist Point, and Vernal and Nevada Falls, said Sam Cannon, program coordinator for Outdoor Adventures.

“Yosemite is an iconic national park with magnificent views, awesome hikes, waterfalls, open meadows, great campsites and is super popular with our student population,” Cannon said. “For a lot of people, Yosemite is a bucket-list item.”

Last month, Tyler Cox, director of recreation programs, and two graduate assistants led 21 students on a camp and hike excursion to Zion National Park in Utah.

Lauren Davis, a sophomore business major who went on the trip to Zion and also hikedYosemite last year, said, “You can show up and not know anybody and then after the trip, they’re my best friends.”

Zion was the first Community Life trip for Tessa Cannon, a junior business and graphic design major. She reached the summit of Angels Landing, a 2.5-mile hike that ends on a peak towering 1,500 feet above the canyon floor.

“It was such an incredible experience getting to meet new people and trying new things together,” she said. “There were points where I had to rely on others to help me or I was able to help other people. It brought me out of my comfort zone and that made the trip really great!”

Cox said students have time to bond while traveling as well as in camp and on the trail.

“It’s fun to see students who didn’t know each other connect on these trips,” he said.

The Community Life staff seeks to accommodate the various interests of CBU students. Events includeintramural sports, a variety of clubs, cultural awareness programs, commuter welcoming activities and other social events.

Also included are CBU traditions such as TWIRP Week (The Woman Is Required to Pay), where women invite men for fun activities; Midnight Madness, the kickoff to basketball season; and Yule, a formal dinner and evening of entertainment at a popular Southern California venue.

“We have such a diverse student population, and each student has their own likes and interests and hobbies that we have to cast a wider net,” said Chris Hofschroer, assistant dean of students. “We have to evolve just like our student body has and that means offering a more diverse program calendar.”

Using the analogy of a river, Hofschroer said the goal of Community Life is to have students make a personal connection and come to know the Lord or grow deeper in their faith.

“Our goal is to simply get them in the river of community on campus, making connections, (and) making them feel like they belong, that they understand their purpose,” he said.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, assistant professor of Public Health for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper at the 149^th Annual American Public Health Association Conference held in Chicago Oct. 31-Nov. 4.  The presentation of Determinants of Antiretroviral Adherence Behavior among Reproductive Age Malawian Women resulted from her work with women living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi, southern Africa.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Geneva Oaks, dean of the School of Nursing, went to Washington, D.C., as part of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Advocacy Day on Oct. 26. She went with the California delegation of deans and directors, which visited 10 congressional offices advocating for education and research funding for nursing.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences, presented at the NAFSA Association of International Educators Conference in Honolulu on Oct. 29.  Her workshop was titled Internationalizing the Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Gayne Anacker, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was assistant director of the C.S. Lewis Retreat at Camp Allen in Navasota, Texas, on Oct. 30-Nov 1.  He also presented a paper in the conference’s Academic Roundtable titled Traces of Joy in C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to CBU’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) club on Oct. 27 and CSSB’s PRSSA club on Nov. 5 on Strategies for Success after Commencement. She also presented a paper at the Public Relations Society of American (PRSA) Educator’s Academy Pedagogical Session at the International PRSA conference in Atlanta on Nov. 6-9. Her paper was Online Mentoring to Facilitate Internships.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Andrew Herrity, professor of business and entrepreneurship, won the award for best academic paper at the Christian Business Faculty Association Annual Conference at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., on Oct. 31.  Herrity’s paper, presented earlier that day, was titled Flourishing in Christ and Business: Conceptualizing a Resource for Helping New Graduates Go From Crisis to Excellence.

 

 

 

Dr. David Pearson, interim dean of the College of Health Science, presented at the Faculty Athletics Representative Association annual meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Nov. 7.  The presentation was titled Missed class time: challenges, opportunities, and a changing educational landscape.

 

 

 

 

Shawn Wilhite, assistant professor of Christian Studies with Online and Professional Studies, gave a talk at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Housh Talk on Nov. 11 in Louisville, Kentucky. The talk was titled The Day of Atonement Remains for Us Until the Sun Sets: Origen of Alexandria’s Reading of Hebrews and the Perpetual Heavenly Day of Atonement.

 

 

 

Dr. Tim Luther, professor of political science, presented a paper at the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Annual Conference on Nov. 8 in Portland, Oregon. The paper was titled The Unfinished Project of the Enlightenment: Habermas’s Reconstruction of Democracy.

 

 

 

 

Dr. James Lu, professor of English, Dr. Owen Staley, lecturer in modern languages and literature, Jennifer Tronti, assistant professor of English, and Dr. Derek Updegraff, assistant professor of English and creative writing, presented papers at the 113th annual conference of the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association, held Nov. 6-8 in Portland, Oregon. Lu’s paper was titled Revisiting Roman Jakobson’s Translation Theory: From Linguistics to Cultural Contact, and Lu chaired a session on Rethinking the Enlightenment and Democracy. Staley’s paper was titled Liberté, égalité, diversité: mondialisation dans l’époque de Charlie Hebdo. Tronti’s paper was titled To Be Continued: Memory and Cinematic Ritual in Wim Wender’s Wings of Desire. Updegraff’s paper was titled The Poetics of Listing in the Old English Catalogue Poems.

 

Dr. Carol Minton, professor of sociology, co-authored a study, Voices from Behind Prison Walls: The Impact of Training Service Dogs on Women in Prison, that was recently published in Society and Animals, Vol. 23.

 

 

 

 

Karen Shade, lecturer in the department of electrical and computer engineering, presented a paper, Maker Faires as Postmodern Curricular Events, at the 16th Annual Curriculum and Pedagogy Conference in Cleveland, on Nov 6.

 

Members of the Financial Aid Office sport Mustaches for “Movember” as part of a fundraiser for men’s health awareness. The men in the office grow out their mustaches until they meet a financial goal and then they shave.

 

 

 

 

CBU has a Staff Advisory Council that meets monthly and consists of staff representatives from multiple departments. The purpose of the council is to collect information regarding staff concerns and requests dealing with campus-wide issues and prepare those items for presentation to the Executive Council.  Any staff member with a question or concern should contact a Staff Advisory Council member or e-mail staffadvisory@calbaptist.edu. The representatives are: Brian Bunnell, University Advancement; Taylor Neece, Enrollment Services; Julie Fresquez, Human Resources; Anthony Francis, Athletics; Brenda Flores, Facilities & Planning Services; Edgar Garcia, Marketing & Communication; Katrina Garcia, Online & Professional Services; Christina Sanders, School of Christian Ministries; Teresa Sheets, Online and Professional Services; and Robert Shields, Online and Professional Services. For additional information about the Staff Advisory Council please see the our Inside CBU page under the HR tab.

 

Christopher Bates, strength and conditioning coach, and his wife, Chantel, welcomed their third child on Oct. 26. Corban Duke Bates weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and measured 21 inches long. He joins older siblings, Christopher II, 7, and Clarity, 4.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Homecoming Weekend events announced for Nov. 6 and 7

California Baptist University will host alumni and friends at Homecoming and Family Weekend on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7. Approximately 8,000 people are expected to attend the weekend’s festivities.

The activities kick off at chapel services on Friday at 10 a.m. Worship will be led by Christian recording artist, Danny Gokey, and the chapel speaker will be Daniel Bishop (’06), lead pastor of the Grove Community Church and the recipient of the 2015 Young Alumni Achievement  Award.

Friday evening, the annual Alumni Awards Dinner takes place at the Recreation Center. Awards will be presented to Bill Pierpoint (’68), recipient of the Lancer Medal for Lifetime Achievement Award; Todd Knowles (’85), Alumnus of the Year Award; Daniel Bishop (‘06), recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award; and Randy McWhorter (’78), recipient of the Distinguished Service in Christian Ministry Award. There will also be a ceremony to honor Dr. Gary Collins, professor of psychology, for 50 years of service at CBU. Gokey will provide entertainment for the evening.

Friday’s festivities will conclude with a pair of sporting events. CBU’s men’s water polo will host the University of Redlands at 7 p.m. at the Lancer Aquatic Center and CBU’s Wrestling will host Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at 7:30 p.m. at the Van Dyne Gym.

On Saturday, the Alumni Association holds their annual meeting at 9:00 a.m. in the Copenbarger Dining Room. At 9:30 a.m. at the Van Dyne lawn, the second annual FLAApjack Breakfast takes place hosted by the Athletics Association.

A Block Party scheduled from noon to 8 p.m. will feature events and activates for all ages including food trucks, inflatable attractions for children, games, live entertainment and interactive academic booths on the Front Lawn. Campus tours also will be available.

Food truck vendors will include Belly BomZ (Korean chicken wings and sliders); Rolling BBQ Barn (pulled pork and BBQ chicken); Classic Taco Truck (burritos, quesadilla and tacos); Big Wave Grill (cheeseburgers and fries); Sweet Stop (corn dogs and fruit juices); Cousin Maine (lobster rolls and lobster tacos); Frankie’s (shaved ice) and Kettle Masters of America (kettle corn).

The CBU Lancers women’s volleyball team will host Concordia University, Irvine at 1 p.m. in the gym.

There will also be a concert titled “Zestival” with Danny Gokey in Stamps Courtyard at 3:00 p.m. The concert will feature festival style seating—meaning spectators should bring a blanket or lawn chair.

The Fortuna Bowl kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday. The annual event, which features men’s and women’s championship intramural flag football games, is CBU’s largest annual athletic event. Last year, some 4,000 people packed the bleachers.

The 2015 Homecoming weekend activities will close with a fireworks show immediately following the Fortuna Bowl championship game.

Some of the events require paid admission or a RSVP. For tickets and more information, contact the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at 951-343-4439 or visit www.calbaptist.edu/homecoming.

 

Nursing students called upon for a real-life emergency

California Baptist University nursing faculty and students sprang into action to help a local rehabilitation center when the power went out on Oct. 30 shortly after 11 am.

A collapsed tree fell onto power lines on Magnolia Avenue in front of CBU’s front lawn and caused power outages in the surrounding areas. The Mission Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, located across the street from CBU, lost its power as well. This facility takes care of nearly 30 individuals that depend on power-operated ventilators to breathe.

The Riverside Fire Department initially responded to the scene.

Dr. Geneva Oaks, dean of nursing, said that her office received a call stating that they could use some help.

“We responded immediately, probably around 30 – 40 of our staff and students went down the street,” said Oaks. “There were students running to the center.”

Oaks said that Jeff DeLaurie, battalion chief, wanted skilled hands available in case they needed to use manual devices to help patients breathe.

The center’s backup generators failed to turn the power back on. As a result, more than 10 fire engines and ambulances were called in to provide the power needed to allow the ventilators to keep running.

Oaks said the fire department requested that CBU faculty and students observe patients to ensure they were breathing correctly.

“They were asked to make sure the patients were receiving everything they needed to preserve life,” Oaks said.

The fire department was extremely thankful, Oaks said.

“It was a blessing to see the heart of our staff and students,” said Dr. Susan Drummond, associate dean and associate professor of nursing. “They want to do good and have a heart for service.”

 

New facilities help advance Lancers Wrestling program

California Baptist University’s wrestling team continues to make the right moves to establish itself as an elite program. The wrestling team moved into their new facilities complete with a lobby, coaches’ offices and team room.

“This facility will help us achieve our goal of winning a national championship in wrestling,” said Dr. Micah Parker, director of athletics. “These state-of-the-art additions separate us from most wrestling programs.”

Read more here.

 

 

Hip-hop artist talks of loving Jesus more than life’s pleasures

“It’s a really hard thing to know that God is holy, to know that God is righteous, to know that God is loving, yet to reject him.”

Jackie Hill-Perry had this realization when God called her as a teenager. Hill-Perry, a poet, writer and hip-hop artist, spoke to California Baptist University students during chapel Oct. 28 about the temporary pleasures of life compared to the holiness of God and the joys of a relationship with Jesus.

Growing up, Hill-Perry was confused over her gender identity and in high school started one of her first same-sex relationships. However, she felt more and more convicted as time went on, she said.

“I felt God speak to my heart and tell me that the girl I was with would be the death of me. When He said it, it was like, it wasn’t just homosexuality,” she said. “It was as if everything that I loved and enjoyed would be the death of me. I saw my pride, I saw my lust, I saw my anger, I saw my bitterness.”

She had heard of the verse in Romans that talked about “the wages of sin was death” and at that moment, it became reality for her, she said. Hill-Perry began weighing the cost and compared everything that she loved with the consequences.

“I saw that the consequences far outweighed the pleasure that it brought me in the moment,” she said. “I saw that an eternity in hell can’t really be worth it and life in God is.”

She broke off the relationship she was in at the time and moved to Los Angeles to be involved with Passion 4 Christ Movement ministries.

Everyone will be tempted, Hill-Perry said, but that is not the end of the story.

“I have realized that I have a new identity in Christ as His friend, a saint and I am reconciled to the Father,” said Hill-Perry. “I don’t have to believe in what my feelings are telling me.”

Hill-Perry elaborated on the consequences of living in a fallen world. “We were born into sin, born with an inherent disposition to love and enjoy and do everything that God hates,” she said. “We think it makes us happy, and it does for a moment, but then we have to do something else to get that itch.”

“But God is so gracious, so intentional, and so loving and so faithful and so holy that he sent Jesus … to live the life that none of us will ever be able to live,” she said.

Two years after coming to Christ, Hill-Perry met a man in ministry that would become her husband. When telling that part of her story, Hill-Perry cautioned the students that marriage is not the climax of living a Christian life.

“The aim of this life is not marriage,” she said. “The aim is to know God, the aim is to serve and love Jesus.”

 

CBU adds IMPACT player to men’s volleyball team

California Baptist University added inspiration to its men’s volleyball lineup recently.

Davis Galluzzo, 7, signed a letter of intent to join the Lancers this season. Galluzzo was just 2 years old when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a condition he still battles to this day.

Despite all of Galluzzo’s adversity, people view him as an inspiration.

“I think Davis will bring a lot of encouragement to the team,” said coach Derek Schmitt. “No matter what he’s doing, he comes in with a huge smile on his face. He gets the guys laughing and brings a positive attitude.”

Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit organization, matched Galluzzo with CBU.

IMPACT seeks to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses through the power of team

“In the short time I have gotten to know Davis through the recruiting process, one thing I know is that he will bring a variety of strong attributes to the program,” said Schmitt. “One of them is the ability to fight through adversity. He has been doing that for several years and continues to do it day after day.”

By signing the letter, Galluzzo committed to always have a good time with his teammates, as they live their purpose by pursuing excellence in athletics and vowed to always “Lance-Up.”

The Lancers, with their new addition, open their season on Dec. 5 at home, hosting Pepperdine at noon.

 

CBU president honored for his leadership in education

The Salvation Army Community Center in Riverside honored California Baptist University President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis for his leadership in higher education.

“Dr. Ellis has elevated the city of Riverside when it comes to educational opportunities,” said Dan Vaughn, CEO of Gallant Risk & Insurance Services. Vaughn read a statement on behalf of the Salvation Army Community Center at its “Soup-er Stars” luncheon on Oct 23.

“Residents are enriched because of Dr. Ellis’ innovative leadership,” Vaughn said.

When Ellis became president of California Baptist College in 1994, enrollment totaled 808 students. This fall, CBU surpassed an enrollment goal of 8,080 five years earlier than anticipated, with a record enrollment of 8,541 students. It is the largest enrollment in CBU history and an increase of more than 1,000% in the past 21 years.

Academic offerings also have increased during the Ellis presidency. In 1994, CBC offered 22 academic majors and one graduate program. Today CBU offers more than 150 majors, minors and concentrations through traditional and online programs. CBU also offers more than 40 graduate programs through traditional and online programs. In the current academic year, CBU will offer its first two doctorate programs, one in nursing practice and the other in public administration, delivered online.

 

Leadership and calling discussed at CBU lecture series

A prominent Christian industrial-organizational psychologist told California Baptist University students that good leaders possess three qualities: character, competence and calling.

Dr. Robert McKenna spoke about his passion—developing leaders—at the School of Behavioral Science’s Culture and Justice Lecture Series on Oct. 22.

McKenna is the chair of the Department of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Seattle Pacific University as well as the executive director of the Center for Leadership Research and Development. He is also the creator of an online leadership development program, “BadBobby,” and founder of Real Time Development Strategies, a leadership and organizational consulting group.

He described the field of industrial-organizational psychology as, “the most powerful guild in corporate America that you have never heard of.”

McKenna said this form of psychology focuses on selecting the right candidate for employment and then performance management throughout the candidate’s occupation.

“What could be more powerful and can affect the culture of the places you will work than who gets selected and how their performance is managed once they get there?” McKenna asked the audience.

McKenna said good leaders possess three qualities: character, competence and calling. He focused on the calling aspect of leadership.

“We’ve turned calling into more of a burden than something that should set us free,” he said. “Your call is whatever God’s wants from you.”

When asked what makes a great leader, McKenna said, “People who show up with a sense of themselves. Show up like you mean it. The second part is ‘editability.’ That means you are willing to hit the backspace key, even sometimes on the way you were thinking about yourself.

“I also want a leader that wakes up each morning with a spirit of conviction before God,” he said.

CBU chapel speaker counts blessings in spite of circumstances

David Ring was born with cerebral palsy and orphaned at age 14. In spite of those obstacles, he is blessed, he told California Baptist University students.

Ring is a motivational speaker and author who spoke at chapel on Oct. 21. Ring spoke with wit and humor as he unfolded his story.

Ring said the more he tells his story, the more he realizes the obstacles and difficulties he has overcome and this reminds him he is blessed.

Some of those hurdles include the difficulty of being moved from family to family after being orphaned, of being told he would never graduate from college, or be a preacher or find a wife.

Ring noted that some people might say he has a disability or lives with a burden. Ring sees it a different way.

“Some may say I have a handicap,” he said. “No, I don’t. I have a platform to tell my story, which is I am blessed.”

At 16, he became a Christian and realized that God uses broken people.

“It’s not over until God says it’s over,” he said. “God had a plan for my life.”

Ring now gets to speak to church and business leaders alike across the nation. He also is married and has four children.

He jokingly said another blessing of cerebral palsy is being the only man alive with four children and never having to change a diaper. He told his wife he would make a mess if he did that task.

Ring urged students to get out of the stands and into the game of the life and let God use them to encourage others.

“My life is a message of hope,” Ring said. “If God can use me, he can use you.”

 

Family Updates

Denise Payne, senior credential analyst in the Metcalf School of Education, served a second term as president of Credential Counselors and Analysts of California (CCAC) and led the 37^th Annual CCAC Conference in Sacramento on Oct. 13-15. More than 825 members attended. During the conference, Payne hosted the president’s lunch, led the annual business meeting, served as a presenter with the commission staff on Accreditation Site Visit Preparation, and served on a panel representing universities in the Inland Empire. Upon completion of her term in November, she will serve as immediate past president and consultant to the board of directors.

 

 

 

Dr. Derek Updegraff, assistant professor of English and creative writing, was recently interviewed by the Sierra Nevada Review. In the interview Updegraff discusses being a fiction writer, poet, and translator, and he also talks about the new BFA program in Creative Writing at CBU. His most recent publications include a poem in The Maine Review, a short story in Gravel Literary Journal, and an edition and translation of Aelfric of Eynsham’s Life of St George, which appeared in the fall issue of Metamorphoses, the journal of translation published jointly by Smith, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, and Hampshire colleges and the University of Massachusetts. Updegraff edited the Old English text from a facsimile of the late Anglo-Saxon manuscript Cotton Julius E.vii. His translation into present-day English attempts to capture the rhythmical qualities of the original.

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper on Research on Online Mentoring through Internships at the International Mentoring Conference held at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, on Oct. 20. Pearson attended the conference with more than 800 attendees from academia and private industry.

 

 

 

 

The first Nashville CBU Alumni and Friends Reunion was held in Brentwood, Tennessee, on Oct. 3.  Alumni who attended the event graduated in years from the 1970s to spring 2015.  Dr. Monica O’Rourke, visiting professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, participated in the reunion.  Gail Ronveaux, director of alumni and parent relations, and Allison Hare, director of development for University Advancement, coordinated and co-hosted the event.

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, visiting professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, in collaboration with Middle Tennessee State University professors, co-presented at the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance’s Annual Convention on Oct. 26 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The presentation was the latest results of an ongoing study on college-aged women and health. O’Rourke presented the effects of psychosocial-based social media interventions and the impact on women’s weight management and motivation for personal fitness conditioning.

 

 

 

Dr. Elaine Ahumada, associate professor of public administration, Dr. Cammy Purper, assistant professor of early childhood studies, Dr. Maria Hopkins, education adjunct, and Noemi Alexander, visiting professor of political science, all with Online and Professional Studies, presented sessions at the Soroptimist International of Corona’s workshop for high school girls.  Beth Groves, assistant professor of public administration for OPS and a member of the Soroptimist Club, chaired the event. Fifty-seven girls participated in the workshop, called “My Future: Dream It. Believe It. Achieve It,” on Sept. 26 at Norco College. The event focused on careers and creating personal career, education and life goals. CBU’s faculty taught two break-out sessions — exploring careers through self-assessment of interests and values, and creating achievable goals and overcoming obstacles to success.

 

Dr. Veola Vazquez, associate professor of psychology, presented a workshop titled Parenting Education: Supporting Parents Who Were Not Parented Well at the California Childcare Resource and Referral Network/California Alternative Payment Program Association Joint Conference in Sacramento on Oct. 21-23.

 

 

 

Dr. Lisa Bursch, assistant professor of nursing, and Dr. Dayna Herrera, assistant professor of nursing, presented at the annual Doctors of Nursing Practice conference in Seattle on Sept. 16-18. Bursch presented a session, A Nurse Managed Health Clinic Serving the Vulnerable Population, and Herrera presented a poster, A Interprofessional Education Faculty Development Program.

 

 

 

Dr. Bradley Thomas, assistant professor of mathematics, presented a talk titled The Design Inference at the monthly Natural and Mathematical Sciences Department Colloquium at CBU on Oct. 27.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Keanon Alderson, associate professor of business, published an article, Conflict Management and Resolution in the Family Owned Business: A practitioner focused review, in the September issue of the Journal of Family Business Management.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Tae Sung, assistant professor of English for Online and Professional Studies, gave a colloquia lecture for the M.A. in English program at Azusa Pacific University on Oct. 30. His lecture was on the intersection of literature, religion and theory in the work of William James.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Seong Kong, associate professor of biomedical engineering, co-authored a paper published in the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (volume 462). The title is Control of magnetite primary particle size in aqueous dispersions of nanoclusters for high magnetic susceptibilities.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Tim Mosteller, associate professor of philosophy, presented a paper at the International Conference on Realist Phenomenology at the International Academy of Philosophy – Edith Stein Institute in Granada, Spain on Sept. 18-21. The paper was titled Josef Seifert’s Ontological Realism: Contemporary Challenges and Christian Continuity. Also, Mosteller and Dr. C. Fyne Nsofor, associate professor of intercultural studies, attended the Free Market Forum on Oct. 15-17 in Omaha, Nebraska, where they were recognized as grant recipients from the Acton Institute. Mosteller received a grant for a project studying Christian philosophical realism and global free markets. Nsofor received a grant to develop a course in introduction to global studies.

 

Dr. Natalie Winter, associate professor of marketing, had an article, The Stewardship of Trials, published in the October issue of Christian Business Review.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Namhee Kim, assistant professor of communication disorders, and 12 communication disorders students volunteered at the My Play Club Carnival & Disability Resource Fair on Oct. 17 in Riverside. This was an event for special-needs children and their families. CBU students led games and activities and interacted with children with special needs.

 

 

Dr. H. Bruce Stokes, professor of anthropology and behavioral sciences, was elected as an at-large member of the board of the Southwestern Anthropology Association in October. His three-year term begins at the close of the 2016 conference in San Diego.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeffrey Barnes, dean of academic services, participated in a panel discussion at the annual Educause Conference on Oct. 29 in Indianapolis.  The panel was sponsored by Jenzabar and titled Is Personalization of the Education Experience Going Too Far.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeff Cate, professor of New Testament, taught a workshop session, The Manuscripts Behind the New Testament, at the California Southern Baptist Convention meeting at Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield on Oct. 29.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mark A. Wyatt, vice president for marketing and communication, spoke about events that led to the founding of California Baptist University in 1950 by the Los Angeles Southern Baptist Association. The presentation was part of the California Southern Baptist Convention 75^th Anniversary celebration held Oct. 27 at Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Judd Bonner, dean of the Collinsworth School of Music, introduces the University Choir and Orchestra performance at the California Southern Baptist Convention 2015 annual meeting Oct. 27 at Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield.

 

 

 

 

Andrew Twitty (’11), history and government adjunct for Online and Professional Studies, and his wife, Alexandra (’13, nee Dabney) welcomed their first child on Oct. 23 at 12:49 p.m. Liam Asher Twitty weighed 7 pounds 5.5 ounces, and was 19 inches long.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates