In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CAVAD faculty, students take learning to the desert

California Baptist University faculty and students recently headed to the desert to get a different view for their camera lenses.

Forty students from the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design along with eight faculty took a road trip to the Salton Sea and the Glamis Sand Dunes Oct. 16-18. This is the third trip the students in the photography, graphic design and digital media programs have visited the desert.

The trip helps the students get out of the classroom and build their portfolios, said Michael Berger, assistant professor of graphic design.

“They have to learn how to create their own shot,” Berger said. “It’s a challenge for them. It’s a beautiful space, but it’s a different landscape.”

That landscape included sand dunes, dilapidated buildings, a lake and a dry lake bed. The students photographed a sunrise, a sunset, a distant lightning storm and the stars.

Colton von Pertz, a graphic design and digital media major, was part of the group that took photographs of the sun rising over the sand dunes.

“After getting out there before dawn, setting up our cameras in the perfect spot, we could do nothing but marvel at God’s creation as the sun came over the horizon,” he said. “Getting the opportunity to spend a weekend in nature, exploring and taking photos was amazing.”

Spencer Findlay, a sophomore majoring in graphic design and digital media, said he looked forward to obtaining more hands-on experiences.

“I learned how to be more independent with my photography,” Findlay said. “This trip taught me to challenge myself and try to get the shot that others did not.”

Trever Hoehne, assistant professor of graphic design, said the experience is priceless for the students.

“The portfolios that the students make from this trip are quite impressive,” Hoehne said. “Portfolios are key in this industry and we put a lot of work into making sure the students graduate with powerful images.”

 

CBU basketball teams forecast to finish high this season

After a historic season that ended in a NCAA Division II championship appearance, California Baptist University women’s basketball team is gaining national respect by earning a No. 4 ranking in the Women’s DII Bulletin Preseason Top 25 poll.

CBU will tip off its season on the road on Nov. 11 against Billings, Montana.

Read more here.

The men’s basketball team has gone to back-to-back postseason appearances, including a Sweet 16 finish last year, in its two years as a fully fledged member of the NCAA Division II.

This year, expectations are high for the team and that is reflected by the fact CBU was picked as the favorite to win its conference in a near-unanimous decision (13 of 14 possible first-place votes) by a preseason coaches’ poll.

CBU’s first game this season is against Minnesota State-Moorhead on Oct. 30 at 6:15 p.m. at the CCA Tip-off Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Read more here.

 

Chapel speaker challenges students to be a people of love

A chapel speaker at California Baptist University shared her experience working in a hospital in Togo, Africa and challenged students to be people of love.

Sarah Thebarge is a Christian speaker, writer and has a postgraduate degree in medical science. She also has a passion for people in need. Thebarge spoke at CBU Oct. 14 about her experience on a recent trip to Africa, to volunteer at the Hospital of Hope. The hospital opened in March and was funded by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian international humanitarian organization.

Hospital of Hope is a 60-bed medical, surgical, acute care facility and regional trauma center.

Thebarge recalled her experience of working 28-hour shifts and witnessing a lot of death— including children—from tuberculosis, malaria, meningitis, accidents and more.

“I was physically exhausted. I was emotionally and spiritually spent,” Thebarge said. “I kept going back anyway because I felt so bad for these people who are suffering and dying.”

During off time, Thebarge listened to a podcast about Sisyphus, a Greek mythological character, who angered the “gods.” His punishment was to carry a rock on his back up a hill, but before he reached the top it rolled back down and he had to do it again.

“This is what the hospital felt like to me,” Thebarge said. “I kept trying to do something and no matter how hard I tried, every shift I was starting back at the beginning.”

As Thebarge kept researching the Sisyphus story, she soon discovered that a few authors interpreted the story from the viewpoint that Sisyphus eventually fell in love with the rock and it was not a burden anymore to carry it up the hill. This commentary on a service mindset reminded her of Christian principles and caused her to think about what motivates people to do what they do.

“Love does not give up, love keeps on working and it keeps moving that rock up the hill.  This is what Jesus did for us,” Thebarge said.

Thebarge cited World Bank statistics on poverty, noting that a billion people live in extreme poverty—defined as less than $1.25 a day.

Since 1990 that number has dropped, Thebarge said, noting the World Bank has a goal to end extreme poverty by 2030. She said that means today’s college students can be the generation to end it and urged students to work toward achieving that goal.

“You have the opportunity to be a person of love, to put it into practice. Fall in love with the rock on your back and because you see it with love it is not drudgery, it is not a burden, it doesn’t make you feel guilty or depressed or in despair,” Thebarge said. “It gives you hope that you can carry this rock up the hill, just like Jesus carried all of us up the hill and loved us enough to die for us.”

 

Emmy-award winning film and TV art director speaks at CBU

An Emmy Award-winning art director and production designer in film and television advised California Baptist University students to direct their own careers during a lecture Oct. 13.

Dan Bishop’s address was part of a lecture series for the CBU College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD). Bishop is known for his work on TV series such as “Minority Report” (2015) and “Mad Men” (2007-2015). He also has done work in movies such as “A Single Man” (2009) and “The Replacements” (2000).

Art directors and production designers are responsible for the overall look of a filmed event. They work closely with the director and producer to tell the visual elements of a story.

Bishop, who spoke about his experience designing scenes and sets, geared his remarks toward architects and their relation to production design.  He said a variety of skills are needed to become successful in production design.

“Visually, the product is a photograph,” he explained.  “The visual artists and the (performing) artists must work with each other.”

Bishop also offered advice for student’s career pursuits.

“You have to steer your own career. Some of it is luck, some of it are the choices you make,” he said.

Mark A. Roberson, dean of CAVAD , said the lecture series offers students a chance to be exposed to the work of professionals and expand on their career goals.

“What we love to do is to get people to talk to our students about non-traditional career paths that might be available to them that they never thought of before,” Roberson said. “In production design, for example, there is an opportunity for architects, graphic designers, artists and other people who may not have thought ‘That’s a direction I’d like to pursue with my life.’”

 

Legalization of marijuana addressed at Lecture Series

Colorado’s top public health officer reflected on a variety of implications from the legalization of recreational marijuana use during a lecture at California Baptist University.

Colorado became the first state to legalize recreational pot use in 2014. Currently, Washington is the only other state where recreational marijuana use is legal. Voters in California, where medical marijuana has been legal since 1996, could decide as soon as next year whether to legalize recreational use of marijuana.

Dr. Larry Wolk, executive director and chief medical officer at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, spoke as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series. He discussed some of the impacts of the Colorado law’s passage, such as an increase in emergency calls.

“In 2013 there were 136 calls to the poison control center for marijuana. In 2014, there were 238,” Wolk said. “So those who are against legalization would say, ‘Wow a 100% increase in the number of calls for poisoning as it relates to the legalization of marijuana,’” he continued. “The people [on the other side of the argument] would say, ‘but look at the scale.’ That is (only about) 100 more in a state of five and a half million people. This is something that bears watching.”

Wolk also discussed efforts to educate the Colorado public on the “safe use” of marijuana.

“We have to ensure that all our residents and visitors understand the parameters of safe, legal and responsible use of marijuana…and that they understand the rules and what the potential effects are,” Wolk said.

Among the potential effects are marijuana serving as a gateway drug for teenagers, increase of marijuana-related hospital visits and increase marijuana-related DUI arrests since its legalization.

Wolk said by creating educational campaigns, his department aims to keep Colorado citizens informed on the safe use of marijuana, while also helping to prevent use in populations such as youths and pregnant women, for whom marijuana use is deemed unsafe.

Wolk also discussed the perceived positive consequences of marijuana legalization, such as the availability of a pain relief drug, an increase in tax revenue and statistics that so far indicate no significant increase in the number of marijuana users.

 

Faculty and students shine at Long Night of Arts & Innovation

California Baptist University faculty and students showcased some of their innovative work at the Long Night of Arts & Innovation in downtown Riverside on Oct. 8.

The event stretched over several blocks, allowing event-goers an opportunity to browse through the latest developments in arts, science and education.

CBU’s Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering presented several exhibits, including a high-speed camera, the electronic design of the Pong video game, a NAO robot and a 3-D printing device.

A team of students programmed movements for the NAO robot by utilizing coding software. They operated a pair of robots programmed to perform gestures and movements, including waving and push-ups.

“We use a program called Choregraphe and then drag and drop the movements together to make a sequence [with the robot],” said David Guiza, freshman biomedical engineer. “After that we plugged it into the robot…the robot does what we tell it to do.”

At another display, CBU engineering students demonstrated 3-D printing. Joshua Park, a sophomore biomedical engineer, said he wanted to create images that would be popular enough so that individuals would know what they were.

Among printed items were a 3-D image of Riverside’s historic Fox Performing Arts Center, a nostalgic 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System controller and wrenches with CBU logos printed on them.

Dr. Seung-Jae Kim, associate professor of bioengineering, presented a display about balance in the human body.

“Parents were aware that we came from the CBU College of Engineering,” he said. “Hopefully they can get impressions about the fun part of engineering.”
CBU School of Nursing students demonstrated how to use a stethoscope. Their booth included a life-like doll that breathed and blinked its eyes. While using the doll, attendees could listen to the heartbeat through a plastic stethoscope handed out as individuals approached the table.

A presentation by Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, civil engineering chair, featured a sensor network used on structures to measure seismic forces during earthquakes. Bai said the Long Night event provided “a really great opportunity” to highlight CBU’s involvement in the activity and in the greater Riverside community.

“I think for us as faculty members to communicate with other people in Riverside is important. We can expose our projects to students, peers from other universities and educate small kids,” Bai said.

 

‘The Apple Tree’ opens CBU’s 2015-16 theatre season

California Baptist University’s theater program opened the 2015-16 season with “The Apple Tree” on Oct. 9.

“The Apple Tree” is a series of three musical plays in one by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, the songwriting team behind “Fiddler on the Roof.” Each act has its storyline, but all three take a lighthearted look at the choices one has to make.

“We all have choices,” said Lisa Lyons, a theatre adjunct and director of the production. “You make a choice; you face the consequences. Some of them are harder to face than others.”

The first act is “The Diary of Adam and Eve,” a quirky, touching spin on the tale of the world’s first couple adapted from Mark Twain’s “Extracts from Adam’s Diary.” The second act is “The Lady or the Tiger?”, a fable set in a mythical kingdom that explores the fickleness of love. The final act, “Passionella,” is based on Jules Feiffer’s offbeat Cinderella-story about a chimney sweep whose dreams of being a “glamorous movie star” nearly sabotage her one chance for true love.

Melanie Overton, a Christian behavioral science senior, plays Ella, the chimney sweep. She hopes the audience leaves feeling entertained, she said.

“There are little lessons here and there about making wise choices and dreams not always being what they seem, but the show is full of humor,” Overton said. “If someone leaves having been able to forget about their stresses and cares for a little while, I think the zany show will have fulfilled its purpose.”

Gabrielle Green, a senior theatre major, plays Eve. She also designed and helped to get 36 costumes ready in a matter of weeks while memorizing her lines. She has enjoyed both roles, she said.

“Performing and designing together is difficult, but wonderfully rewarding,” Green said.  “I love making Eve grow, because the audience gets to follow this character from her birth all the way through her life, and as an actor that is so much fun.”

Productions scheduled later in the season include “Fahrenheit 451;” “The 39 Steps” and “Pirated.”

 

CBU’s dean of engineering named Mayor’s Innovation Honoree

Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, has been named this month’s Mayor’s Innovation Honoree.

The Mayor’s Innovation Honoree Program is designed to recognize people or groups in the City of Riverside that exemplify its motto as a “city of arts and innovation.”

“Your leadership and focus on academic excellence has created a world-class, accredited engineering school which delivers critical-thinking graduates to our community,” Mayor Rusty Bailey wrote to Donaldson to notify him of the award. “The commitment you’ve shown toward city initiatives…continues to be an inspiration for improved collaboration among government, education and private industry stakeholders.”

Donaldson received the award at the city council meeting Oct. 6. He briefly addressed the council and thanked his wife and staff and faculty for their support.

Donaldson came to CBU in 2006 as the founding dean of a new school of engineering. The program has grown from 53 students in the fall of 2007 to more than 575 students by the fall of 2015. The College of Engineering now offers 10 majors along with two graduate level programs.

Donaldson has made a career of innovation and creativity. He moved his family to Bangalore, India, the “Silicon Valley of Asia,” in 1994-96, where he raised venture capital for a native Indian’s vision and started a consulting business in telecommunications.

In graduate school at Texas Tech, Donaldson worked on the “Star Wars” pulsed power project. His research in modeling electrode erosion in high-energy pulsed switches won critical acclaim and resulted in more than 40 peer-reviewed articles and conference presentations as well as a patent for a new type of material.

“All creativity comes at the intersection of who we are and who we meet,” Donaldson said.

Bailey voiced admiration for Donaldson at the meeting.

“God bless you and your family,” said Bailey. “Thank you for the inspiration you and CBU bring to our community.”

Renowned Baptist theologian speaks at CBU about evangelicals

Acclaimed author, educator and theologian, Dr. David Dockery, talked about evangelicals—who they are, their history and his hopes for them—during a visit to California Baptist University on Oct. 6. Dockery, president of Trinity International University, spoke to CBU students, faculty, and area pastors as part of the School of Christian Ministries Lecture Series.

Dockery is the author or editor of more than 35 books and has served on the board of directors for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Christianity Today International and Prison Fellowship.

In a nod to the current U.S. presidential election campaign, Dockery said despite all the attention given to evangelicals in the political arena, “Evangelicalism is not a political identity but a confessional identity.”

“Evangelicals are men and women who love the Lord Jesus Christ, who love the Bible and love the gospel message,” he said. “A hallmark of the movement is a willingness to cooperate together in evangelism, missions and educational efforts. Evangelicalism is a cross-denominational movement.”

Dockery said Lutherans first used the term evangelical in the 16^th century to describe the churches that believed in salvation by grace through faith alone and held the Bible to be their supreme authority. At that time, people came to equate evangelicals with Protestants, often using the terms interchangeably, he said.

Over the centuries, evangelicalism evolved. In the 17^th century, the movement recognized the need for heartfelt, life-transforming faith, and stressed conversion and grace, Dockery explained. After the Civil War, evangelicals wrestled with changes taking place all around them, including Darwinian naturalism, a post-slavery society and urbanization.

Dockery said by the end of the 19^th century, evangelicals saw churches losing their connection with the truth of the gospel message. As the 20^th century began, movements were launched to revive, renew and correct the mainline Protestant churches. In the 1960s, some mainline denominations shifted their focus away from the gospel and toward social issues such as the Vietnam War and civil rights, he said.

Dockery added that in the 21^st century, changes are seen in technology, the economy, globalization and government. Evangelicalism is not exempt, he said, because changes in the church never take place in a vacuum.

“We must realize that our struggles are not with or against fellow Christ-followers but against the expansion of unbelief in our secularized culture,” Dockery declared. “What is at stake is the unity and mission of the Christian movement as well as the bedrock issues of the Christian faith.”

Dockery called for evangelicals to have a new spirit of mutual respect and humility to serve together with those whom they have differences of conviction and opinion.

“Let us together trust God to bring … renewal to our theology of evangelism, missions, worship, education and service,” he said. “Let us recommit to relate to one another in love, humility, as agents of grace and reconciliation in a broken and fragmented world.”

 

Panel discusses gender, generational differences in workplace

A panel discussion at California Baptist University explored the topic of “Leading Gender and Generational Differences” in the workforce on Oct. 5. The panelists discussed their experiences on these topics.

The Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf School of Education Graduate Leadership Program hosted the event as part of the Leadership Seminar Series. Panel members included Dr. DawnEllen Jacobs, vice provost, Dr. Natalie Winter, associate professor of marketing, and Dr. Esmirna Valencia, executive director of Early Childhood Programs at Riverside County. Dr. John Shoup, dean of the School of Education, moderated the discussion.

The panelists began the discussion by recalling past work related experiences they have faced.

Winter said for the first time, four generations may coexist in a single workplace. Each generation can tend to think their ways are “right,” and that can produce conflict in the workplace, she said.

The four generations are: The Silent Generation (those born from 1925-1942); The Baby Boomer Generation (those born from 1943-1960); Generation X (those born from 1961-1981); and the Millennial Generation (those born from 1982-2000).

Also discussed were generational and gender-related origins and how women’s confidence and upbringing may affect their pursuit of leadership.

“Ambition for me was being the first person in my family to get an education and get a doctorate,” Valencia said. “Many asked me ‘why would you want to do that?’ And [for me] it was always my goal.”

Jacobs added, “My dad would have never dreamed I would have a PhD, growing up.”

The discussion concluded with the panelists’ recommendations for leading in the workplace.

“I believe most of my frustration has come from trying to lead like a man. Be who you are; I am a woman,” Jacobs said.

 

Counseling Center encourages students to “Choose Healing”

Colorful signs posted around California Baptist University over the past couple of weeks are designed to promote Mental Health Awareness Week (Oct. 5-9) as an opportunity to talk about issues that can fly under the radar for some students.

This year’s theme, Choose Healing, is featured in presentations throughout the week by counselors from the CBU Counseling Center on issues that can cause mental distress.

Dr. Natalie Rios, assistant director of the Counseling Center, said it is important for people to talk about mental health issues. Because there is a stigma surrounding mental health concerns, people can end up feeling isolated and alone, she said.

“Having events like this is important because it helps to reduce some of that stigma and gets people talking about these things to normalize their experiences,” Rios said.

This week’s events can help people describe what they are going through and realize that they’re not alone, she said.

“We’re multi-dimensional as human beings, and so mental health is a really important part of that,” Rios said. “If we’re not taking care of that and trying to be healthy within ourselves and our relationships, it can create a lot of chaos and stress in our lives.”

“If we can find ways to help individuals address some of that brokenness … to find ways to find healing and support and God in all of that, it can really influence their lives in a positive way,” she added.

Promoting Mental Health Awareness Week also creates visibility for the Counseling Center.

“We want people to know that we’re here and that we’re wanting to support them and help them in any way that we can,” Rios said.

Family Updates

Dr. Susan Jetton, assistant professor nursing, and students Annette Evangelista and Taylor Bagby attended the National League for Nursing Conference in Las Vegas on Sept. 30-Oct. 2. Jetton is a member of the Office of Minority Health’s advisory board for preconception health. The office is a federal agency and preconception health is the goal of improving birth outcomes. The office sponsored the students to promote preconception peer education clubs at the conference. The goal of the clubs is to promote healthy living.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Veola Vazquez, associate professor of psychology, participated in a book signing of her faith-based middle-grade novel, The Nickel Nuisance, at the Orange County Children’s Book Festival on Oct. 4. She also gave a presentation and provided bullying prevention tips for children and parents and talked to children about how to develop a love of writing.

 

 

 

Elisabeth Murillo, assistant professor of aviation science, Creighton Goodman, assistant professor of aviation flight, and Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, presented a session titled Operational Risk Management at the University Aviation Association Fall Education Conference. Murillo and Prather also presented a session titled Industry Fellowships for Aviation Faculty. Prather presented a research proposal, Specialized Aviation Accreditation: Gauging the Needs of Non-AABI Accredited Programs, and chaired the Graduated Education Committee of the University Aviation Association at the event in Salt Lake City Oct. 7-9. Prather also has been elected president-elect of the University Aviation Association.  He will serve a one-year term as president beginning October 2016.

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, associate professor of civil engineering, was elected as vice president of Student Activities by the American Society for Civil Engineers (ASCE) Los Angeles Section in October. During his two-year appointment, he will help coordinate activities of the ASCE student chapters at 11 universities within the LA section, and ensure that section scholarships are managed and implemented in accordance with the board-adopted procedure.

 

 

 

Jennifer Zamora, assistant professor in physician assistant studies, spoke at the USC Keck School of Medicine Symposium, held in Los Angeles on Sept. 26. The symposium was an interprofessional collaboration of medical students, pharmacy students, physical therapy students, physician assistant students and pre-health professional students. Her topic was Taking Medicine to the Streets and Abroad, discussing the ways physician assistants can do medicine in other countries on medical mission trips, volunteering and their role as team members with other professions.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Namhee Kim, assistant professor of communication disorders, Margaret Appenzeller, visiting professor of communication disorders, and 10 students in the communication disorders program volunteered at Reach Out Annual Community Health Fair in Ontario on Oct. 12. They conducted a hearing screening for the community.

 

 

 

Dr. Dennis K. Bideshi, professor of biology, co-authored a peer-reviewed paper titled Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis producing endochitinase ChiA74Δsp inclusions and its improved activity against Aedes aegypti, that was published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology (Oct. 5).

 

 

 

 

Rachel Meenan, English adjunct, had a book, The Stolen Guardian (The Zyearth Chronicles Book 1), a contemporary military fantasy story, published Oct. 3.

 

 

 

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor of communication disorders, co-authored an article, Are Life Participation Goals Reimbursable?, that was published in The ASHA Leader, an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association newsmagazine, October 2015.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Tae Sung, assistant professor of English in Online and Professional Studies, presented his paper The Rhetoric of Divine Grace and Dynamic Gifts in American Pragmatism at the Sacred Literature, Secular Religion conference. The Le Moyne College Religion and Literature Forum hosted the event Oct. 1-3 in Syracuse, New York.

 

 

 

CBU’s campus newspaper, The Banner, earned a College Media Association (CMA) Pinnacle Award nomination for Best Newspaper in the Four-Year, Less Than Weekly category for issues published during the 2014-15 academic year. Two 2015 graduates earned recognition for their work last year. In CMA’s Best of Collegiate Design category, Katey Lee, former Angelos yearbook photo editor, earned an individual nomination for an Angelos spread she photographed and designed. In the Association Collegiate Press (ACP) Pacemaker Awards, Raine Paul earned a Design of the Year nomination for a Pursuit magazine spread that she wrote, photographed and designed. Paul is the former managing editor of Pursuit and the current graduate assistant in the Journalism & New Media and PR program. Both the Pacemaker and Pinnacle awards will be announced at the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention in Austin, Texas, at the end of October

 

 

Dr. Charles Sands, provost and vice president for academic affairs, presented Global Health Engagement at CBU at the annual meeting of the Consortium for Global Education on Sept. 18 in Charleston, South Carolina.

 

 

 

 

Dr. John Sandy, an adjunct professor for the Online and Professional Studies, was a leader of the Ethics, Advocacy and Public Policy track for the 2015 World Conference of the American Association of Christian Counselors. The event, held in Nashville, Tennessee, Sept. 23-26, was attended by about 7,000 professional, pastoral and lay counselors from every state and 40 countries. John co-presented a preconference workshop titled The New AACC 2014 Code of Ethics: The Top Ethical Issues, Challenges and Trends for Today’s Counselors, and presented a workshop titled Church Spiritual Care Ministries Best Practices Guidelines.

 

Michael Berger, assistant professor of graphic design, spoke at California State University, Fullerton, about Graphic Design in a Global Market: An American-Danish Perspective Program on Sept. 21. He spoke to about 25 Danish designers. Berger also participated in an exhibition at Norco College titled Art Empire featuring art and design faculty from Inland Empire universities, Sept. 16-Oct. 16. He showed a brochure for Fred Jordan Missions that he designed and photographed. He also participated in a panel discussion with the exhibiting artists on Oct. 6.

 

 

Randal Murphey, audio visual technician with Conference and Events, and his wife, Sarah, welcomed a son on Sept. 29. Britton Ryker Murphey weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Britton’s older sister is Addison Renee, 1 year and 11 months.

 

 

 

Dr. Nathanael Heyman, associate professor of biology, and his wife, Tracey, welcomed a son on Oct. 9. Judah Ari Heyman weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces. His older sister is Natania, 2.

 

 

 

Dr. Joseph Pelletier, assistant professor of psychology, and his wife, Elizabeth, welcomed their third child on Oct. 10. Zelda Grace Pelletier weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Her older siblings are Zooey, 3, and Ford, 20 months.

 

 

 

Elizabeth Veilkind was promoted to corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve on Sept. 12. She is based out of Miramar as an Operations Operator. She is the daughter of Janet Crate, special events and volunteer coordinator in University Advancement.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Record 2015 enrollment at CBU continues upward trend

Fall 2015 enrollment at California Baptist University set another record with 8,541 students—a 7.3 percent increase above the fall 2014 enrollment figure, President Ronald L. Ellis announced today.

Additionally, this year’s record enrollment marks a significant milestone, surpassing the university’s “8080 by 2020” enrollment goal—five years earlier than scheduled. The goal was set in 2005 to reach 10 times the number of students enrolled (808) when Dr. Ellis began his tenure as president in 1994. The new figure represents a 1057 percent increase over 1994 enrollment.

“By shattering the 8,080 by 2020 goal, fall 2015 is an historic enrollment increase on top of a sustained two decades of significant increases,” Ellis said.

This year’s triple digit increase follows three years of 600-plus increases of 610, 698, and 618; a one-year, four digit increase of 1,113; and last year’s three digit increase of 813. With the latest year-to-year increase of 584, CBU enrollment over the past six years has grown 4,436 students on a base of 4,105 in fall 2009—a 108% increase in six years.

CBU currently offers more than 150 majors, minors and concentrations as well as more than 40 graduate programs. And this year for the first time, CBU will offer two new doctorate programs—in Nursing Practice and Public Administration.

Founded in 1950, CBU is a private comprehensive institution located in Riverside, Calif. and affiliated with the 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.

 

CBU President delivers 2015 State of the University Address

CBU President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis shared his 2015 State of the University video address at chapel services the week of September 21. The address reported on key accomplishments at CBU over the past year and also highlighted significant upcoming events.

Play full video.

 

 

 

 

CBU alum Kris Johnson – high-flying U.S. Men’s Volleyball Player

Most people need a ladder to reach 12 feet. But for California Baptist University graduate Kristopher Johnson (’14), that height is where his profession takes him regularly—and without any vertical support.

At 6 feet 11 inches and 200-pounds, Johnson is an up-and-coming middle blocker for the USA Men’s Volleyball squad. His soaring jumping ability and long-arm span makes him part of the team’s front line defense against opponent’s attacks.

Johnson’s vertical reach tips the 12 feet mark—two feet higher than a standard professional basketball rim.

“I remember the first time I jumped that high, I felt like I was flying,” he said. “It’s taken me a lot of practice and preparation to be able to jump that high.”

Johnson spent the summer of 2015 competing in the Pan American Games (Pan Am) in Toronto, Canada, for Team USA. The Pan Am Games are the world’s third largest international multi-sport competition. Forty-one nations sent athletes to compete in this year’s games.

In five matches, Johnson had an attack percentage of .529 and he compiled 27 kills, eight blocks and four digs. The United States took sixth place, with Argentina taking gold, Brazil silver and Canada bronze. It was a lot of exposure for Johnson and the sport of indoor volleyball in general, as ESPN broadcast all of the U.S. matches through WatchESPN.

“I had butterflies in my stomach the first time I stepped on the court,” Johnson said. “However, once the ball started to fly around I said to myself, ‘Let’s play.’”

Johnson is also entering into his second year with Leka Volley Club, a professional volleyball team in Finland.

“I would say volleyball is the third most popular sport in Finland,” He said. “I have great coaches over there and I play to get better.”

 

Bible college president speaks on lessons from Bonhoeffer’s life

Dr. Steve Nichols, president of Reformation Bible College, talked about the­ impact of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer during a visit to California Baptist University on Sept. 24.

As part of the School of Christian Ministries Lecture Series, Nichols, the author of several books, addressed faculty, students and area pastors.

Nichols said while Christians need to get their confidence and reassurance from the Bible, they also can look back in church history and see how other faithful disciples lived their Christian lives and responded to the challenges they faced.

“One of the reason I appreciate church history so much is that we get perspective from ages before us,” Nichols said. “If all we have is our moment in time as our perspective that is a rather slim horizon from which we can understand things.”

Nichols spoke about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor and anti-Nazi dissident who was sent to a Gestapo prison and eventually killed at age 39. During his 10 years of ministry, Bonhoeffer wrote “Cost of Discipleship.” For him, the challenges to a Christian life came from both outside and within the church, Nichols said.

“He knew he would have issues to deal with outside of the church,” Nichols said. “I think Bonhoeffer was caught off guard by was how ignorant of the gospel the church itself was.”

Bonhoeffer told his congregations that they turn church into a playground for their feelings instead of a place where “God’s word is obediently received and believed,” Nichols said. Bonhoeffer wrote, “We keep thinking we have God in our power instead of recognizing God’s power over us.”

Nichols said for Bonhoeffer, the key doctrines were God is holy, man is sinful and the cross is the answer. Bonhoeffer’s writings help today’s church have a cross-centered approach, Nichols said. At the cross, Christians portray the weakness of Christ to the world that is in need, he explained.

“This is where Bonhoeffer, I think, helps us. The cross, Good Friday – these are moments in the life of Christ that we don’t always like to linger on,” he said. “We want to jump ahead to resurrection Sunday…but we also need to linger over Good Friday and the cross, because sometimes that’s exactly where we find ourselves.”

 

Ceremony marks progress for CBU nursing students

While many students at California Baptist University are just beginning their first semester, a group of entry level (EL) graduate nursing students took another step closer to becoming registered nurses during a dedication/pinning ceremony on Sept. 23.

Thirty-eight students who completed their first year in the program received a pin from a School of Nursing faculty member. After completing the first year, they are now qualified to take the licensure exam.

Additionally, 40 students who finished their first semester in the EL Master of Science in nursing program walked across the stage at the Van Dyne Gym to receive a Gideon pocket Bible. For them, the ceremony signifies dedicating their nursing career to the Lord.

Dr. Geneva Oaks, dean of the School of the Nursing, encouraged the students in their continuing pursuit of a master’s degree.

“Our prayer for you, no matter what happens in your career and as you move forward, that you stay steadfast to the Lord,” she said. “The opportunities before you are innumerable … and we encourage you to remain fully engaged through the process of expanding your heads, your hands, and your hearts.”

Gayle Cloud, a board member for Riverside Unified School District, also spoke during the event. She told the students that encounters are never random and that God will bring people into their lives for a reason.

“You are entering your front-line mission in medicine,” she said. “You will have opportunities to pray, to show mercy, to serve, to offer relief and hope.”

Student Sarah Jacques said the start of the semester was a whirlwind of things to learn and do and becoming a nurse did not seem real. The dedication made it feel more than just a job, she said.

“This cemented the fact that we’re doing this nursing program and dedicating our lives to the service of others,” Jacques said.

Student Jonathan Lu said he is looking forward to learning more in the program.

“It’s the end of a journey and beginning of another,” he said of the pinning. “It’s when you start your actual nursing journey and career. It means a lot.”

 

CBU Aviation Science program, flight school reach new heights

California Baptist University’s department of aviation science took off in the fall of 2013, with 25 students and two majors. This fall, it is flying even higher with 70 students and three majors.

Dr. Daniel Prather, chair of aviation science, said he credits the growth to the faculty and staff, the administration’s support and the industry’s demand for pilots.

“I think God has blessed our efforts here,” Prather said. “He honors our hard work and commitment and devotion to develop a top-notch collegiate aviation program.”

Growth can be seen in various ways. The CBU Flight School has 11 aircraft used for flight training and 10 flight instructors. More than two years ago FedEx donated a Boeing 727 that is being incorporated into the aircraft systems course for the first time this fall. The school also now has an approved FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Center located in the Flight Operations Center.

The CBU Flight School also has developed agreements with five regional carriers, including passenger airlines Express Jet, SkyWest and CommutAir, and cargo carriers Empire Airlines and Ameriflight. Three of those agreements were signed this summer. Students who meet certain requirements are guaranteed an interview or, in the case of Express Jet Airlines, a job if the company is hiring at the time. Without such agreements, students are on their own to find a job, Prather said.

“I tell students, as you graduate, as you move on and enter your career that’s a mission field no matter where you are,” Prather said.

Hannah Guajardo, an aviation flight junior and the first student to enroll in the CBU Aviation Science program, said she chose the program because it offered a bachelor’s degree in aviation flight.

Guajardo became the first student to earn an instrument rating and the first female in the program to earn a multi-engine rating.

“It is a huge honor to be a part of the inaugural class. It makes me feel like I was part of the start of something big,” she said.

Michael S. Lloyd (’16) is starting his first year at CBU. He spent 20 years as an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force.

Lloyd said he chose CBU for a number of reasons, including CBU’s support of veterans and his desire to remain in the aviation industry.

“The aviation management degree seemed to be a good transition career tool as I prepare for another career in civilian life,” Lloyd said. “I looked at a few other colleges, but I really felt CBU is where God wanted me to be.”

 

The quest for the Fortuna Bowl trophy begins at CBU

Are you ready for some football? CBU intramural sports kicked off flag football season Sept. 21.

Flag football is the most popular intramural sports at CBU. This year 28 teams were formed –17 men and 11 women.

Each team plays a total of seven games.The top eight men’s teams and the top six women’s teams make their respective playoff tournaments. The championship game is held during Homecoming Weekend where the victors receive the much coveted Fortuna Bowl cup. Last year’s championship games drew more than 4,000 spectators.

“The Fortuna Bowl is the ultimate competitive goal for the teams,” said Tyler Cox, director of recreation programs. “It also has a mystic presence entering into the season for the freshmen.”

Last year’s Fortuna Bowl champions were the Weblos men’s team and the Bus Drivers women’s team. Both teams return this year to defend their titles.

Cox said that nearly half of the teams are legacy teams, meaning they have been continuing teams and, in some cases, have been around for more than a decade.

Cox said legacy teams usually consists of juniors and seniors. They will also pick up a few sophomores and freshmen. It is the underclassmen who will continue on the team’s legacy after the core of the team graduates.

“Football is a great team-building opportunity for us,” said Joshua Fink (’18), part of the Black Night team, which is comprised mostly of Army ROTC students.  “Last year was tough but this year we want to win that cup.”

 

CBU’s College of Health Science gets new campus

Change came this summer to California Baptist University’s College of Health Science. The college, formerly known as “Allied Health,” now has a new home to go along with the new name.

The college has relocated to the former Riverside Christian Schools campus on Monroe Street across from the Lancers Outdoor Athletic Complex.

The campus comprises of 68,919 square feet under roof and 11.07 acres.

“We’re completely blessed to get all the space that’s over here,” said Dr. David Pearson, interim dean of the College of Health Science. “I look forward to what we can do with it.”

Previously, the college was spread out throughout the main campus, with faculty in Lancer Arms and parts of the James Building. More than a 1,000 students are enrolled in programs offered by the College of Health Science.

Pearson said the biggest benefit for both faculty and students would be the opportunities for collaboration by being together in neighboring buildings.

“No matter what aspect of health science we are a part of, we all have the common goal of making people healthier,” he said. “That’s a lot easier to do when you have good proximity to one another.”

CBU purchased the property in June 2013 and Riverside Christian Schools leased most of the buildings back until this summer. Demolition and remodeling began in June and faculty started moving in Aug. 20. Walls were removed and rebuilt; exterior and interior walls were painted; carpet laid and audiovisual equipment along with furniture was installed.

A significant investment in new classrooms, laboratories and office space is transforming the campus into a modern, state-of-the-art learning center for health sciences.

“I think that every time we’ve built new facilities, smooth campus integration has always been the goal, and I think that’s been the end result,” Pearson said.

In August, the College of Allied Health became the College of Health Science. The new name more accurately reflects the scope of programs offered by the college, Pearson said. By definition, allied health professions are ones such as athletic training, communication disorders and physical therapy, he explained.

Pearson said a preschool remains on part of the property that Riverside Christian Schools continues to lease. Eventually, he expects that facility will be repurposed as clinics for athletic training and communication disorders so students in those fields can get their clinical hours.

“We are still a central part of the Great Commission and doing what everybody else does on campus. It’s just new space,” he said.

 

School of Behavioral Science hosts human trafficking lecture

California Baptist University’s School of Behavioral Sciences hosted Jeremy Vallerand, president and CEO of Rescue: Freedom International (RFI), Sept. 17 for its Culture and Justice Lecture Series.

Vallerand spoke on the global fight against human trafficking and explained his approach to help deal with this issue.

RFI began operations 18 years ago in India to help rescue and restore women and children who have suffered through human trafficking.

Vallerand grew up with two sisters. His father worked as a traveling salesman and put Vallerand in charge when he was gone. Vallerand wanted to do whatever it took to be a protector.

“I tried to look intimidating when I needed,” he said. It is a role that has grown for him.

Vallerand recalled his first trip to India, where he visited Mumbai and met David and Beth Grant, the founders of RFI. Vallerand agreed to visit the red light district with the couple.

He said his “blood began to boil’ as he looked at the sights. The couple then took Vallerand to visit the safe houses RFI operated.

“[When] we got to the first home and walked in; it was this beautiful place full of hope and life,” he said.

Upon returning to America, Vallerand was moved by what he saw. An avid outdoorsman, Vallerand rallied his friends and started what is now the Climb for Captives initiative. The idea behind the program is to use mountain climbing as a way to spark conversation about human trafficking and raise funds for its victims. The group’s first climb raised more than $20,000.

Vallerand encouraged students to approach the issue of human trafficking and all social injustice from a Micah 6:8 perspective: “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”(NASB).

He concluded his remarks with a quote that hangs on the wall at the entrance to his office: “It is not the injustice that drives us, it is the magnitude of hope.”

 

College of Health Science kicks off Distinguished Lecture Series

California Baptist University’s College of Health Science welcomed Dr. Harkeerat Dhillon on Sept. 14 to kick off its 5^th annual Distinguished Lecture Series. Dhillon is an orthopedic surgeon at Riverside Medical Clinic. He spoke of his journey across continents to become a doctor.

The lecture series provides CBU students an opportunity to hear from speakers, who are leaders in their respective disciplines.

Dhillon is a graduate of the University College of Medical Sciences, located in Delhi, India. He described the persistence and commitment involved in attaining his goal to become a surgeon.

Dhillon said his voyage westward began when his boarding school in New Delhi could not offer the biology classes he needed to become a doctor.

“This was a hurdle I had to cross. My school was affiliated with Cambridge University in the United Kingdom so I applied for special permission to study biology there and they let me [take biology courses],” Dhillon said.

He eventually returned to India and finished his medical degree, graduating with a bachelor’s of medicine and surgery.

“Now I could cut people into pieces and enjoy it,” joked Dhillon, whose sense of humor was evident throughout his speech.

Another hurdle Dhillon faced occurred during his move to the United States in 1992.

“It was an absolute culture shock,” Dhillon said.

Dhillon struggled to keep a job. After arriving in the United States, he was initially denied the opportunity to complete his fellowship due to immigration issues.

A plea from a former boss eventually open the doors for Dhillon to continue his fellowship.

Dhillon quipped that he settled down in Riverside because he could not travel any farther west without running into the ocean. Today, Dhillon works at the Riverside Medical Clinic as an orthopedic surgeon.

“This is an extremely rewarding and fulfilling profession,” Dhillon said. “You have to enjoy it, and the only way to enjoy it is to be good at it. Master your profession and you will enjoy it.”

He encouraged the students to set goals and not let challenges prevent them from attaining their goals.

“If you really want to make a success out of yourself, you need to set a goal, to stay focused and be extremely persistent,” Dhillon said. “Sometimes there may be so many hurdles it may make you doubt yourself. But if you want to be a [successful] person, then the persistence and focus needs to be there.”

 

Family Updates

Student Learning Outcome Assessment and Academic Program Review are two important processes CBU employs to promote and ensure continuing improvement in all aspects of its educational endeavors. College/School/Departmental Assessment Coordinators are the key players in completing these processes. These diligent faculty and staff members provide leadership while also serving as members of the CBU Assessment Committee. To recognize exceptional service, at the beginning of each academic year, Best Awards are presented to select Assessment Coordinators for exceptional service during the previous year.

The 2014-2015 Best Awards recipients are as follows:

• Best Program Review: Tom Ferko, professor of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
• Best Rookie Coordinator: Helen Jung, associate professor of civil engineering, College of Engineering
• Best College/School Coordinator: Elizabeth Morris, professor of education, Online and Professional Studies
• Best Department/Program Coordinator: Chris McHorney, professor of political science, College of Arts and Sciences
• Best Program Improvements: Sandra Romo, assistant professor of journalism/PR, College of Arts and Sciences
• Best Overall Coordinator: Carolyn Heine, associate librarian, Annie Gabriel Library

 

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor of communication disorders, coauthored an article, Communication Recovery Groups: Reciprocal Benefits for Participants and Facilitators from an Undergraduate Student Perspective, that was recently published by the Ohio Speech Language Hearing Association’s electronic journal eHearsay.

 

 

 

 

Shawn Wilhite, adjunct professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper, Didache, Martyrdom, and Christian Identity: The Ethical Motifs and Apocalyptic Vision of Persecution and Martyrdom in the Didache as it Shapes Christian Identity, at the Andrew Fuller Center Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, on Sept. 16. He also recently had a book, The Letters of Ignatius, Apostolic Fathers Greek Reade, published.

 

 

 

Dr. Greg Cochran, associate professor and Dr. Chris Morgan, dean of the School of Christian Ministries, co-wrote a chapter in a recently published book, Ministry in the New Marriage Culture.  The chapter title is Gospel Confidence in the New Marriage Culture. Cochran also presented a paper, Persecution Perspective and the Challenge to Martyrdom from Matthew’s Gospel, at a conference sponsored by the Center for Ancient Christian Studies on Sept. 14. Cochran presented another paper, The Practical Application of a New Testament Theology of Persecution, at the annual conference of the Andrew Fuller Center on Sept. 16. Both events were in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, recently had a college-level textbook titled Airport Management published.

 

 

 

 

Faculty and staff are invited to the Knuppe Prayer Chapel each day from 3:30-4:30 p.m.  A faculty or staff member will be there Monday-Friday at that time to pray with anyone who has needs or who wants to stop by and join in lifting up the CBU community.  If people have needs they would like to have prayed for, they can forward them confidentially or by name to either Dr. DawnEllen Jacobs, vice provost, or Dr. Darla Donaldson, assistant professor of finance and social entrepreneurship.

 

 

Faculty and staff have an opportunity to take Perspectives on the World Christian Movement on Tuesdays, 5:15-7:15 p.m. in BUS 253.  There is also a group that meets noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays in the Provost’s Conference room for a more informal gathering. If interested or have questions, contact Dr. DawnEllen Jacobs.

 

Dr. Robert Crosby, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, Dr. Erin Smith, assistant professor of psychology, and Dr. Thomas Frederick, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, recently published an article, The Kid-Friendly Church: What Makes Children Feel Loved, Valued, and Part of a Supportive Church Community, in The Journal of Family and Community Ministries.

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to a group on nonprofit representatives at the 18th Annual Community Connect Nonprofit Conference at the Grove Community Church in Riverside on Sept. 25. Her presentation was on Building Effective Community Relations.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, visiting professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, co-led the Riverside/San Bernardino county opening meeting for the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance on Sept. 15 in Redlands. Physical Education Teacher Education professors and practitioners from surrounding universities and school districts were in attendance. CBU’s kinesiology program was acknowledged by the association unit as the leading kinesiology program in Riverside County.

 

 

 

Dirk Dallas, assistant professor of graphic design, was contacted by news agencies Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal regarding the Drone Bill in Sacramento. His website FromWhereIDrone.com has positioned him as a resource in drones and drone photography.

 

 

 

Dr. Robert Crosby, assistant professor of psychology, Dr. Dirk Davis, associate vice president for academics, and Dr. Riste Simnjanovski, assistant professor of education, all for Online and Professional Studies, published an article, Evidence-Based Online Course Development Practices Using Three Years of Incoming Student Data, in the US-China Education Review journal.

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU remembers 14th anniversary of 9-11 terrorist attack

Students, faculty and staff at California Baptist University took time to mark the 14^th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

For the second year, the Associated Students of California Baptist University offered an opportunity to remember and honor the 2,977 people who lost their lives. At the Stamps Courtyard, students, faculty and staff took one of 2,977 flags, one for each victim, and placed the flag in the lawn, outlining a cross.

Makenna Lammons, ASCBU executive president and a junior psychology and criminal justice double major, wanted to hold the event again because it is important to take time to remember the nation’s history, she said.

“We get stuck in our CBU bubble and we need to reflect on what has happened in the outside world,” she said.

Mia Sewell, a sophomore psychology major, took time out of her day to place a flag. She was 5 when the attacks occurred. Her family was living in Santa Ana, California, at the time, but her father is from New York and had previously worked in the Twin Towers. She remembers a day of fear, mourning and confusion.

“It’s important to remember because I think it was such a huge event in our culture. … It kind of shook us at our core and we were worried,” she said. The event united her family and community. “We looked past all the stupid differences we fight about all the time, and we realized we’re human and we love each other and we just want to be safe.”

Greg Troehler, a pre-nursing senior, was attending college in North Carolina at the time. He remembers feeling helpless for the first time in his life, he said. The event led him to join the Army.

“It just shocked me and hurt my spirit so deeply that someone could organize, plan something so evil and so wicked,” he said. “At the same time, I think it brings us together tighter because we have that appreciation for the freedom that we have, and it gave me the desire to contribute to that.”

Joni Dunlap, office manager in residence life, was afraid to take her children to school that day 14 years ago. She is grateful for the ASCBU event to pull the campus together.

“I think that the lives that were lost still matter, and we need to remember their families and pray for them even this long after,” she said.

 

CBU women’s basketball team visits the Riverside mayor

Inspired by the California Baptist University women’s basketball national title run earlier this year, Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey made a special request for the team to visit him when they returned home.

CBU followed up on that invitation Sept. 11 as the mayor welcomed the Lancers to his office for a chat.

Read more here.

 

 

 

New freshman class arrives at CBU to begin a journey of faith

Hundreds of members of the Class of 2019 arrived at California Baptist University the first weekend in September to begin their college experience.

Who are these freshmen? A majority of them were born in 1997 or 1998; they are part of the millennial generation. For many, social interactions include emoticons. Technology is second nature and if you want to annoy them just try “labeling them” with a title.

Millennials also have lived through one of the worst recessions in modern history, post 9/11 realities and the rise of ISIS and other terrorist organizations.

Yet in addition to the social, political and economic conditions that will shape their coming-of-age story, for many of these CBU freshmen faith will also play a significant role.

For many, faith was a key reason they choose CBU. For some it meant leaving their families and communities behind to begin this new journey.

Michaela Vansant, a visual arts major, made a road trip with her family from Colorado to move into student housing during Welcome Weekend.

“I’m open to seeing what God is going to do in my life during my time at CBU,” said Vansant. “What I do know is that CBU is a “Great Commission” school and I wanted to be here.”

Kevin Chen, an aviation science major, made the journey to California Baptist University from Taiwan.  Chen said the decision to leave his family and study abroad was made easier by the fact that he is coming to CBU.

“Faith is very important to me. CBU has a safe environment where I can talk about my faith, especially to those who haven’t heard about Christ yet,” Chen said.

Janelle Lopez, a special education major, came to CBU from Florida to be a part of the cheer team.

She said it was a scary decision to move to California not knowing anyone. However, knowing others on campus share her faith will help in her transition.

“I’m looking forward to meeting new people,” Lopez said. “I feel like I will fit in here just fine. I love being around others who believe the same thing as I do.”

John Montgomery, dean of spiritual life, said CBU is about “investing in students lives to develop followers of Jesus.”

“No matter where a student is in their spiritual journey, we want to help them take the next step as they grow in their relationship with God,” Montgomery said.

 

Celebrity Chef Jet Tila “stirs” it up at WOK ON grand opening

The recipe for the grand opening of California Baptist University’s new WOK ON dining option featured vegetables, protein, noodles and a celebrity chef.

Jet Tila, Food Network celebrity chef, was on hand Sept. 8 to serve up stir-fried cuisine, with CBU President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis enjoying the first serving of the Pan-Asian culinary delight.

WOK ON is the brainchild of Tila, who has partnered with CBU and Provider Contract Food Services to create the concept. Dining options include a modern twist to Thai, Cantonese and Chinese wok-style or stir-fried cooking.

“It’s healthier Asian food that gives you a range of Asia,” said Tila. “[WOK ON] really covers all of Asia…nice thing about Asia it’s a big place.”

Divina Cortes (’19) tried WOK ON for lunch on the first day of fall semester classes.

“It’s delicious and has great flavor,” said Cortes, who ate a bowl of stir-fried chicken, noodles, rice and veggies. “It tasted like a home cooked meal.”

Kipp Dougherty, director of Provider Contract Food Services, said CBU’s dining options included bowls but did not have a real focus on this type of cuisine until WOK ON arrived.

“We really wanted to focus in on Asian cuisine, which is extremely popular in Southern California. We knew that wasn’t in our wheelhouse, it wasn’t a strength of ours, so we started to look for culinary experts,” she said.

Tila is familiar with food services on campus communities. He has collaborated with more than 20 universities.

“We did a great job in nine to 12 weeks of creating a station that’s crave-able, delicious and that works well. It’s a feat,” Tila said.

Brittaney Perkins (’16) said it was a hardy meal for the amount she paid.

“If I can’t finish my meal then you know their serving size is good,” said Perkins, who tried a bowl of stir-fried rice, beef, chili and mushrooms.

WOK ON is located inside CBU’s Brisco’s Café at The Village student housing complex.

 

CBU named in three “Best Colleges” rankings for 2016

For the tenth time in as many years, California Baptist University has been named one of America’s Best Colleges in rankings by U.S.News and World Report for 2016. In addition to a top-40 ranking as a “Best Regional University”, CBU also ranked among the “Best Colleges for Veterans” and “Best Online Degree Programs” in the nation.

“These are influential rankings that affirm the value and quality of the educational programs that California Baptist University offers in both traditional and online settings,” said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president. “Perhaps more importantly, they validate the decisions made by thousands of students—including a growing number of veterans—who choose to pursue their educational goals at California Baptist University,” he added.

The 2016 rankings place CBU in the top tier of educational institutions across the nation. CBU’s No. 39 ranking in the publication’s “Best Regional Universities” in the West for 2016 is a change of just one position from No. 38 for 2015, which was up four spots from No.42 the previous year.

‘Best Colleges’ rankings are featured in U.S. News & World Report each year to aid prospective students and their parents looking for the best academic values for their money. Now in its 31st year, the annual comparative listing uses a quantitative system of 16 weighted indicators of academic excellence to rank universities. Those indicators include: student selectivity, retention and graduation rates; assessment by peer institutions; faculty resources; financial resources and alumni giving.

For 2016, the category of Best Regional Universities includes 618 institutions that offer a broad scope of undergraduate degrees and master’s degrees but few, if any, doctoral programs. A full list of the rankings can be viewed at www.usnews.com/colleges.

 

Exhibit at CBU Gallery features works from CAVAD faculty

A California Baptist University art exhibit titled “Unlikely Visitors” is being held at the CBU Gallery through Oct 1.  The show features paintings, drawings and stoneware from faculty from the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design (CAVAD).

The show also includes an installation and performance piece, titled “Linhurst,” by Andrew Hochradel, adjunct professor. He set up a room to look like a darkened bedroom that visitors can wander through. During the opening reception, he lay “sleeping” in the bed.

“When I heard that the theme of the show was ‘Unlikely Visitors,’ I really was inspired to create an installation that turned the viewer into the art. I wanted the viewers to experience what it felt like to exist in someone else’s space,” Hochradel said. “I hope the one takeaway was that the public felt something—wonder, mischief, fear or any other emotion. It was meant to be a very personal and an individual experience.”

Hochradel plans to be in the space occasionally throughout the show’s run, however the room is still open when he is not there. During the opening reception, the performance art was him pretending to sleep. Throughout the evening, people left notes in his hand, drew on his feet and ink stamped him three times.

“Although I did drift off a couple times, the majority of the show was throwing myself into the context of the piece to allow people to explore and do whatever they chose to,” he said.

Nancy Ward, lecturer in art, is exhibiting a 6-by-7 foot acrylic on canvas titled “53.” It is part of a series she created around the disappearance of middle-age women in American media. She wants to make them visible again.

“It’s about looking at the beauty that comes with age,” Ward said. “I want to revisit the idea of what is beautiful; in that the beauty of wisdom, experience and joy that comes through on a woman’s face.”

Duncan Simcoe, professor of visual arts, said the faculty choose the work they wanted to be displayed.

“Art is a very large word in the 21^st century and can and does mean many different things. This exhibit underscores this fact,” Duncan said. “Viewers, whether they are students, fellow faculty or members of the public, should see that we as a group are productive studio artists. Each has a demonstrated commitment to refine a personal vision for art in the 21st century.”

Ward said the exhibit also allows students to see that their professors are not just teachers but artists as well.

“So many of (the professors) are doing interesting things and coming from very different places in the art world,” Ward said.

 

CBU students set Guinness World Record at Bunco

During Welcome Weekend at California Baptist University, 748 students packed into a huge tent erected on the Front Lawn of the CBU campus to play rousing rounds of Bunco, a popular dice throwing game. Not only did the activity provide students a fun opportunity to make new friends; the event also set a Guinness World Record for the most people playing Bunco simultaneously in a single location.

Bunco has become rooted in CBU tradition. Joe Adcock, assistant dean of students, introduced the game to the campus more than 10 years ago as part of new student orientation activities. Ironically, due to the game’s rise in popularity, Bunco at CBU had been on hiatus the past few years due to insufficient space to accommodate the game’s large number of players.

“We thought, let’s bring back a student tradition and see if we can break a world record as well,” said Chris Hofschroer, assistant dean of students – for community life.

In Bunco, players take turns rolling three dice, attempting to roll a pre-determined target number. A player who rolls a “three-of-a-kind” matching the target number is awarded a “Bunco” worth 21 points. To notify officials of a Bunco, the students were asked to celebrate by jumping up and down. This led to a playful and noisy affair with hundreds of cheering and screaming students.

The CBU Bunco tournament featured another twist to the tradition—students were encouraged to wear costumes to attend the event.

“Everybody I’ve met this weekend has shown me great love,” said Alvin Bautista, physical therapy freshman, who was dressed up in a banana costume. “When I was told to get dressed up I headed down to the local Goodwill store and picked out an outfit just for tonight.”

The category of most people simultaneously playing Bunco was introduced by Guinness specifically for this event following a formal request by Hofschroer. The record was easily set as Guinness required a minimum of 250 participants in order for the record to be valid. The record-setting CBU tournament featured 187 games being played at once.

Philip Robertson, official Guinness World Records adjudicator, attended the event to provide on-the-spot verification.

“I thought this was an old lady’s dice game, but this was incredible. People were bouncing out of their chairs and screaming,” Robertson said. “It is a lovely way to introduce people to the university and build camaraderie. I see a lot of college inductions, but this was truly incredible.”

With each successive round of Bunco, students relocated to different tables. The emcee for the evening encouraged students to ask questions to each other such as what their favorite movie or ice cream flavor.

“It means a lot to be a part of setting the record, especially with people I just met,” said Cristian Garcia, mechanical engineering freshman. “I met so many new people. It was a lot of fun.”

 

CBU alumnus launches clean air campaign at United Nations

A civil engineering graduate from the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering launched a global campaign this summer to make clean air a basic human right.

Pedro Piqueras (’13) won a “Millennium Health Prize” from Millennium Campus Network (MCN) for his clean air campaign. As a result, he was given the opportunity to officially launch his campaign at the 7th Annual Millennium Campus Conference, a program of MCN, held Aug. 11 to 15, attended by students and politicians from more than 50 nations at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

Piqueras’ campaign, “fAIR4all,” is aimed at raising awareness of the health risk of air pollution. He wanted the conference participants to educate others and to take action, whether through creating laws or partnerships with non-governmental organizations. The end goal, he said, is for the UN to establish clean air as a basic human right.

“Until that is done, governments are not going to be forced to fix it or educate. Clean water is a basic human right, and since it is, governments are enforced to implement water projects,” Piqueras said. “By having that minimum standard in a global aspect, it would really encourage governments to do something about it.”

He is studying air pollution as he pursues his doctorate degree in chemical and environmental engineering at University of California, Riverside.

Piqueras said he became interested in the subject when he learned how many people die from air pollution-related causes annually. According to the World Health Organization, seven million people died as a result of air pollution exposure in 2012.

The campaign includes a monthly webinar, an email newsletter and a Facebook page. Piqueras encourages others to join.

“Unless somebody does something about it, nothing’s going to get done,” he said. “I definitely want to make the world a better place.”

Piqueras said CBU professors encouraged him and his fellow students to have a global perspective.

“They taught us it’s not just about making money, it’s about how you can help the world become a better place,” he said. “They definitely taught me to think like that, to think in a global perspective, especially when it came to people in need in developing countries.”

 

CBU professor delves into science, religion at Oxford Seminar

When students are given information about science that seems to conflict with their Christian beliefs, California Baptist University’s Dr. Erin Smith has observed they usually pick one of three responses.

They work to determine what is true and integrate the two areas together; they reject science; or they walk away from their faith. This observation has fueled Smith’s passion for pursuing research in this area.

Smith, assistant professor of psychology, is interested in aiding students who reject either faith or science and helping them work through the conflict.

“At CBU especially, we are about integration and I want to know how we can do that best to serve our students,” she said

Smith spent four weeks this summer at the Oxford Summer Seminar in England, participating in the Bridging the Two Cultures of Science and the Humanities 2015-16 project. The project included lectures, mentor sessions and workshops geared toward the integration of faith and science. Smith was one of 25 faculty participants at the seminar.

The project was hosted by Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford, a United Kingdom subsidiary of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. CCCU is an international association of Christ-centered colleges and universities with 119 members in North America and 55 affiliate institutions in 20 countries.

The goal of the project was to develop faculty’s interdisciplinary skills and understanding central to the field of science and religion as well as their use of those skills on their respective campuses.

As part of the project, Smith is required to conduct a research project and then develop a science and religion club at CBU.

For her project, Smith will shadow students as they engage with material that deals with potential conflicts of science and religion. Her goal is to gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of an educational program for science and religion discussions, she said.

Smith intends to start the club next year. The goal of the club is to become a place that students can ask questions and then discuss these issues.

“The questions and searching shouldn’t be dangerous,” Smith said. “Especially if it’s done from a perspective of ‘how can I honor God in this?’”

Smith said she is concerned that students who outright reject either Christianity or science have not explored the issues.

“If they never examine those beliefs, then I don’t think they have the opportunity to let God be bigger and more majestic,” she said.

Family Updates

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, assistant professor of environmental science, co-authored a presentation given at at the American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition Aug. 16-20 in Boston: Toxicological potential and environmental fate of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a post-graphene two-dimensional material. He also co-authored a research poster, A Comparison of Novel Hydroponic Systems and Traditional Soil Based Methods for Applications in Agriculture, with biology student Kristin Racoosin that was presented at the CBU’s Fall Faculty Dinner on Aug. 21.

 

 

 

Dr. Hyun-Woo Park, professor of biology, and Dr. Dennis K. Bideshi, professor of biology, attended the International Congress on Invertebrate Pathology and Microbial Control and the 48^th Annual Meeting of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology conferences in Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 9-13. They presented co-authored papers on their research on genetic engineering of the mosquitocidal bacterium: Effect of single versus multiple promoters and a high plasmid copy number on the synthesis and assembly of Cyt1Aa crystals in Bacillus thuringiensis, and Cyt1Aa-BinA chimera highly toxic to anopheline, aedine, and culicine larvae including those tolerant or resistant to Lysinibacillus sphaericus.

 

The Online and Professional Studies’ Master of Arts in Public Relations has been named No. 2 by BestColleges.com in its list of best online master’s in public relations programs. With a curriculum based on traditional PR foundations, as well as modern courses in social media theory and utilization, CBU students are guaranteed to receive a well-rounded education, according to the BestColleges.com website.

 

Dr. Tom Frederick, associate professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, published an article, Forgiveness and Mental Health Practice, in the journal volume 18 Mental Health, Religion, and Culture.

 

 

 

 

Julie Goodman, assistant professor of anthropology, had a paper published in Kesher: A Journal of Messianic Judaism (Issue 28; Summer/Fall 2014). The paper title was A response to Rabbi Elliot Klayman’s “Exploring our Responsibility for Earth’s Resources: Shaping an Eco-Ethicological Approach for Discussion.”

 

 

 

 

Dr. Keanon Alderson, associate professor of business, received a grant from Target Corp. to work on a case study and propose how Target can change its store level leadership and management structure. Alderson and Dr. Andrew Herrity, professor of business and entrepreneurship, will perform the work in their BUS463 Business and Organizational Management courses.

 

 

 

Dr. Namhee Kim, assistant professor of communication disorders, published a research article titled A phonetic approach to consonant repetition in early words in the August issue of Infant Behavior and Development.

 

 

 

 

Catherine Jane Ellis was born Sept. 6, to Lauren and Ashton Ellis, son of Dr. Ronald L. Ellis and Mrs. Jane D. Ellis. “CJ” weighed 6 pounds and 15 ounces. She joins two brothers and two sisters and is the seventh grandchild of CBU’s president and first lady.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Clark, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and his wife, Nataliya Clark, welcomed their first child Aug. 31. Caleb Vyacheslav Clark weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce and was 22 inches long.

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU professor’s theory on galaxy formation confirmed

Dr. Kyle Stewart’s theoretical prediction of a “gas spinning disk” that helps build a galaxy into a bigger one has been confirmed. It took two years of progressive research to validate his theory.

Galaxy formation is an elaborate affair and something Stewart has studied for almost 10 years.

“We still don’t fully understand all the physics involved in the process of galaxy formation,” said Stewart, assistant professor of physics.  

Stewart said scientists have run computer simulations to approximate how galaxies are formed for a long time. They recognize that cold gas is involved in the process but thought it had no structure. The idea was that gas falls into galaxies from all sides and then eventually that gas transforms into stars, he said.

More recent simulations showed something else. In papers published in 2011 and 2013, Stewart co-authored a study that claimed that gas can create a “spinning cold-flow disk.” This disk increases many times larger than the galaxy and then becomes the structure needed for a galaxy to expand. The gas is funneled into this disk by filaments, galactic string-like structures.

In 2014, researchers observed a galaxy and a filament. A different team of researchers took a closer look through a spectrograph, which takes light from a source and separates it by wavelength.

These researchers determined that half the gas moved toward the disk and the other half moved away from the disk, indicating a cold-flow disk. Their study was published last month in the international science journal Nature, validating Stewart’s prediction.

“It confirms the whole new picture of how we think galaxies are formed,” Stewart said. “This is a big verification that the simulations are doing something right.”

Stewart is also doing similar simulations with different programming codes to see if the results are the same.

“They are finding that the details vary, but the disk phenomenon seems to happen no matter the code,” Stewart said.

Stewart said astronomers can predict something and maybe a decade later will find out if they are right.

“To make a prediction and have it confirmed two years later is an amazing experience,” he said.

“We’re just now starting to get a picture of galaxy formation,” he said. “It’s an emerging field that didn’t exist until Hubble Telescope began taking pictures and giving us thousands of galaxies to look at.”

 

CBU receives grant to fund hands-on experiences in the lab

A $250,000 grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation will help fund hands-on experiences in the field of sustainability and health technologies for the chemical engineering department at California Baptist University’s Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering.

Dr. Mark Anklam, chemical engineering chair and professor, said a large portion of the funds have already been invested in purchasing new equipment to create additional chemical engineering labs.

These labs will allow students to work on sustainable technology projects such as CO₂ removal, reverse osmosis, fuel cells technology and purifying water, he said.

Anklam said today’s employers are very environmentally conscience. Chemical engineers must learn to design and operate processes with minimal side effects.

“Students will understand how to transform materials and chemicals for the benefit of humanity,” Anklam said.  “They will see engineering applications that can positively impact the environment and can also improve the quality of life for others.”

Some of the new labs are scheduled for introduction in the fall semester.

Stephen Dueck, a chemical engineering junior, interned during the summer for CBU’s chemical engineering department and helped install new equipment.

“It’s fascinating to go from textbook knowledge to seeing how different chemicals interact with each other through this equipment,” he said. “I already suggested switching out some chemicals a manual suggested for some more environmentally safe ones that I learned about in one of my classes.”

Dr. Mario Oyanader, associate professor of chemical engineering, expressed enthusiasm for the new equipment.

“It’s exciting to be a part of a program that is getting out-of-the-box equipment that is up-to-date on the latest technology being used in industry,” he said.

 

CBU events center scheduled to open on campus in 2017

A multi-use events center scheduled to open on the campus of California Baptist University in 2017 will become the school’s largest indoor gathering space to serve a variety of campus activities, CBU officials announced Aug. 31.

“An events center has been a dream at California Baptist University for many years, so it is incredibly exciting to see this vision becoming a reality,” said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president. “It will be a wonderful addition to the campus and a source of great pride for many of the students currently enrolled at CBU as well as countless more who will follow for generations to come.”

Infrastructure construction is underway on the $73 million project that is being funded through gifts and financing. The events center is being built adjacent to the CBU Recreation Center located in Lancer Plaza near the corner of Adams Street and Diana Avenue. The center’s north-facing front entrance will be located on Lancer Lane.

The centerpiece of the 153,000 square feet building will be a 5,200 seat arena—expandable to more than 6,000 seats—that will showcase some of the CBU athletics teams competing in the PacWest Conference and NCAA Division II. These include men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling, and men’s and women’s volleyball. The building also will feature locker rooms for home and visiting teams as well as new athletics offices.

The two-level events center is designed to complement the Mission Revival architecture style that is a hallmark of the California Baptist University campus. A100-foot tower will adorn the building’s north side.

“This center will be much more than just an arena for Lancers athletics,” Ellis said. “It will serve all of the CBU community through robust programming that supports the university’s academic mission as well as extracurricular activities.”

Besides athletics, the arena also will provide much needed space for CBU’s chapel program attended by nearly 5,000 students weekly during the academic year. Other uses planned for the events center include student orientation activities and commencement ceremonies that are held each spring and fall.

The CBU events center is scheduled for completion in April 2017, in time for spring commencement activities in early May.

 

WOK ON Pan-Asian cuisine coming to CBU at Brisco’s Cafe

California Baptist University continues to increase its dining options with the addition of WOK ON, a Pan-Asian inspired cuisine, that will be featured this fall at Brisco’s Café.

“We want to give our students a diversity of food choices and WOK ON will fill a missing piece and provide a new cuisine option to our campus community,” said Kent Dacus, CBU vice president for enrollment and student affairs.

WOK ON is the brainchild of Food Network’s celebrity chef Jet Tila. He has partnered with CBU and Provider Contract Food Service to create the Pan-Asian concept.

The new dining concept is scheduled to open on Aug. 31, with a grand opening celebration scheduled on Sept. 8 featuring an appearance from Tila.

Dining options will include a modern twist to Thai, Cantonese and Chinese wok-style or stir-fried cooking. Late-night items will include Asian fusion entrees such as Asian Tacos or Japanese and Latin “Dawgs” (hotdogs).

Kipp Dougherty, director of Provider Contract Food Service, said she is excited about the new addition to CBU’s campus dining. “Get your chopsticks ready to dive into some great Asian-inspired cuisine,” she exclaimed.

Brisco’s is located on the northeast side of campus in the Village at CBU. In addition to WOK ON, Brisco’s Café is open for lunch and dinner with cooked-to-order items such as subs, wraps and burgers as well as a selection of “Grab and Go” options.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president, was keynote speaker at the Fall Colloquium of the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Aug. 24. Ellis spoke on the topic “Building an Entrepreneurial University: The California Baptist University Story.” Dr. Mark A. Wyatt, vice president for marketing and communication, presented a workshop to the USC faculty titled “Marketing the University: Faculty Matters.”

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, taught a two-day Basic Airport Safety and Operations Specialist school on behalf of the American Association of Airport Executives to more than 80 airport professionals in attendance at the AAAE Airport Facilities Management Conference in Salt Lake City on Aug. 22-23.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor communication disorders, co-led a webinar for American Speech Language Hearing Association on Aug. 19. More than 150 speech language pathologists participated in the webinar nationwide. The topic was Meaningful, Functional Goals for Persons with Aphasia and Dementia.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, department chair and associate professor of civil engineering, presented two papers titled Sensitivity Analysis of Flexural Characteristics for Steel and Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Concrete and Probabilistic Shear Capacity Models for Concrete Members with Internal Composite Reinforcements at the 5th International Conference on Construction Materials in Whistler, British Columbia, Aug. 18-21.

 

 

 

The Online and Professional Studies’ Graphic Design and Digital Media program has been named No. 2 by BestColleges.com in its list of best online graphic design programs. The CBU program offers students a strong foundation in web and graphic and the curriculum has been refined to meet the needs of working adult students. The program culminates with the development of a professional portfolio and the completion of several hands-on projects, according to the BestColleges.com website.

 

Dr. Jeff Barnes, dean of academic services, has published a new book, The Wisdom of Walt:  Leadership Lessons from The Happiest Place on Earth.  The book has been featured in The Orange County Register, Riverside’s The Press-Enterprise and was recently ranked on Amazon.com as a #1 New Release.

 

 

 

Dr. Julie Browning, associate professor of accounting for the Division of Online and Professional Studies, presented two poster sessions at the American Accounting Association’s Conference for Teaching and Learning in Accounting, in Chicago on Aug. 8.  The sessions were titled Using a Credit Card Debt Assignment in a Principles of Accounting Course and Using Social Media Groups to Engage Students in Online Courses.

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, visiting professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, went to the 75^th annual Sturgis Bike Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, Aug. 3-8 as part of a Christian action sports team with Team Faith Ministries.  The team performed freestyle motocross as an outreach to share the Gospel to participants.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Anthony Chute, professor of church history, has co-authored a textbook on Baptist history with Michael Haykin, professor of church history and biblical spirituality at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Nathan Finn, professor of Christian thought and tradition at Union University. The book, The Baptist Story: From English Sect to Global Faith (B&H Academic), details the global spread of the Baptist movement from its beginnings in the early 17th century.

 

 

 

Jennifer Zamora, the didactic coordinator for the master’s of physician assistant studies program, had a case study and research article published in July in Consultant for Pediatricians, a peer-reviewed journal. The title was A Teen’s Large Hemangioma: Successful Treatment with Propanolol.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Stephen Christie, assistant professor of accounting and finance, successfully defended his dissertation on July 9 for the doctor of philosophy in education degree at Claremont Graduate University, School of Educational Studies.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Andrew Herrity, professor of business and entrepreneurship, hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with his wife, Terry Lynn, on Aug. 12 and 13.  Herrity said that the Peruvian government allows only a few dozen people each day to hike the 12-mile trail through the Andes Mountains, so most of the several thousand visitors each day to Machu Picchu arrive by train because there is no road to that part of Peru.

 

 

 

 

Reba Machado (’10, MS, nee Lacuesta), adjunct psychology professor, and Marc Machado (’11, MS), assistant men and women’s golf coach, welcomed their first child Aug. 22. Melody Joyce was born at 4:36 p.m., weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and was 21 inches long.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Former CBU water polo player signs professional contract

Eric Carnohan inked a professional contract with Water Polo Navarra of Pamplona, Spain, on Aug. 17. It makes him the second California Baptist University graduate to play professional water polo.

Carnohan leaves for Spain on Aug. 24^th and will compete with Navarra from October to May in his first season. He was brought on board with Ruda Franco and Dusan Aleksic, who both have experience playing international water polo with their respective home countries of Brazil and Canada.

Last season, Carnohan led the Lancers to a program-best, fourth-place finish in the WWPA. He played in all 35 games and scored a second-best 67 goals for the team and assisted on 30 more, which was a team-best mark. He drew 52 ejections and swiped 25 steals. The utility finished his career with 120 goals, which rank him 15th on the program’s career list, and produced 31 multi-goal games, which is 14th best.

Carnohan joins a list of elite Lancers who have played water polo on the international stage. Austen Ramer, CBU’s career leader in saves with 1,129, played professionally for three years in Australia after graduating in 2012. Brandon Jung also saw plenty of playing time in the Olympics for Canada in 2008.

 

Mock medical scenario brings helicopter and learning to CBU

California Baptist University students took part in a unique class assignment Aug. 5 that brought a medical evacuation helicopter to the Front Lawn for a mock medical exercise.

The helicopter is operated by Mercy Air, a full-service air medical transport system that has served California and Nevada for 25 years. The company provides rapid emergency transportation by helicopter for critically ill and injured patients.

An ambulance and a Riverside Fire Department engine were also part of the exercise.

The emergency responders and “injured” volunteers gave various students a chance to turn their classroom knowledge into a hands-on experience.

Participants in the mock medical scenario took turns assessing the injuries, immobilizing the patients and then relaying information to the various Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel at the scene.

Bill Donald, adjunct faculty in the department of kinesiology, planned the scenario. Donald said he wanted students to gain experience working in an emergency setting, communicating with other medical personnel and become familiar with the EMS system.

“This will also build up their confidence when they deal with the real thing,” said Donald. “Experience is the primary goal that I want them to gain from this.”

The training exercise also brought students closer to the reality of emergency evacuations.

“Having the ambulance and the medevac here changed the situation in your mind to be a little more serious,” said student Anna Garduno. “It gave you an opportunity to put everything into practice and look at areas where maybe you need to continue to practice and work on.”

The students also had the opportunity to take a close-up look at the helicopter and to talk with the three-member flight crew from Mercy Air and learn about what their jobs entail.

“[In class] we practice a lot of scenarios and today we really got to see several [emergency] occupations come together to care for the health of a patient,” said student Zach Norton.

Dr. Nicole MacDonald, associate professor of kinesiology and program director for the athletic training education program, said mock scenarios like this teach students how to work with other health professionals and how to work under pressure.

To watch a promotional video of the event, go to https://vimeo.com/136563646

 

CBU wrestler to compete at the world wrestling tournament

California Baptist University junior wrestler Micah Lopez advanced to 2015 World Wrestling Greco-Roman Tournament by winning a continental title for his native country of Guam.

It is a historic accomplishment for Lopez, as he will be the first CBU wrestler to compete in this tournament. The Greco-Roman Tournament, which will be held on Sept. 7-12 in Las Vegas, take on a greater meaning this year since at-large bids to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games are on the line.

To read the complete story, click here.

 

 

Family Updates

Dr. Larry Linamen, vice president for Global Initiatives, chaired the opening session for the Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific meeting at Suranaree University, Thailand, on July 28. He also had the opportunity to introduce Dr. Kamjorn Tatiyakavee, the permanent secretary for the ministry of education of Thailand, to the audience and to share briefly about CBU. This was CBU’s first time at the conference with more than 60 Asian universities in attendance. One of only two U.S. universities in attendance, CBU signed memorandums of understanding with schools from China and Indonesia during a special ceremony.

 

 

 

Dr. Russell L. Meek, adjunct instructor for Online and Professional Studies, had a paper, “I Was King over Israel in Jerusalem”: Inerrancy and Authorial Ambiguity in Ecclesiastes, published in the Journal for the Evangelical Study of the Old Testament 4 (2015).

 

Dr. Erin Smith, assistant professor of psychology, completed an Oxford Summer Seminar for the Bridging the Two Cultures of Science and the Humanities 2015-16 project.  This project is hosted by Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford, which is the United Kingdom subsidiary of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and funded by the Templeton Religion Trust. The project included four weeks of lectures, mentor sessions and workshops.  As part of the project, Smith and the other participants were inducted into the Bodleian Library at Oxford to support their own research projects.

 

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, presented a paper titled Ecocriticism as a Cross-Disciplinary Effective Tool to Create Positive Change at the Lima International Book Fair (FIL Lima 2015) held July 17 – Aug. 2. Flores presented this paper as chair of a panel on Mankind and Its Environment in Latin American Literature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, announced the Department of Aviation Science has signed a pilot pathway agreement with Empire Airlines to benefit aviation flight majors. The students who meet Empire’s requirements are guaranteed an interview if the airline is hiring at the time. Empire Airlines serves as a FedEx feeder regional airline with bases throughout the Northwest and Southwest. In addition to pilot pathway agreements in place with ExpressJet, Skywest, and Ameriflight, this agreement with Empire Airlines will provide an additional career path for CBU Aviation Flight graduates and allow them priority consideration by these airlines.

 

 

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, assistant professor of environmental science, co-authored a poster titled Environmental Effects of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Inside a Model Colon. Stephanie Lara, CBU environmental science student, presented it Aug. 14 at the University of California, Riverside, as part of the Mentoring Summer Research Internship Program symposium.

 

 

 

 

Steve Leader, academic records coordinator for veteran services, married Michelle Mantyla at Mariners Chapel in Irvine on July 25.

 

 

 

 

Reminder to all faculty, staff and student workers: Please report all on-the-job injuries to your supervisor and Human Resources immediately – no matter how minor an injury seems. Prompt reporting: 1) Identifies potential safety hazards; 2) Initiates the process for workers’ compensation benefits; and 3) Allows California Baptist University to provide employees with a safe working environment. If you have any questions please contact Julie Fresquez, director of Human Resources, 951-343-4302.

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Construction management program earns national accreditation

CBU’s bachelor of science construction management (CM) program has achieved accreditation through the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE). ACCE is the leading accreditation body for CM programs in the nation.

“The ACCE accreditation adds tremendous benefit to the Southern California construction industry at large in the development and training of accredited future industry graduates,” said Dr. Francois Jacobs, department chair and associate professor of CBU’s CM program.

This program is now one of four ACCE accredited CM programs in Southern California and one of only two Christian programs in the country, Jacobs noted

“An advantage of CBU program is that students can graduate with this degree in four years or less compared to longer anticipated graduation time frames at other ACCE accredited CM programs in Southern California,” Jacobs said.

CBU’s CM program offers students the opportunity to take up to 45% of their courses online which can help students achieve an expedited graduation date.

Ryan Kahrs, a 2014 CM graduate, credits the “practical and hands-on experience” of the program with helping him secure a job locally. The internship he started with Tilden-Coil Constructors eventually turned into a full-time position after graduation.

“I’m learning that all the practical experience and knowledge that I gained during my time at CBU is coming in handy at my current job,” said Kahrs. “With the addition of a lot of biblical principles this was a plus for the program.”

Graduating students obtain several certificates as part of their degree requirements including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), OSHA 30 Hour (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and DBIA Fundamental Certificate (Design Build Institute of America). The CM program also requires all students to do an internship totaling 200 hours before graduating.

The construction management program began in 2012 with eight students. The enrollment for the upcoming fall semester is projected to exceed 40, with an additional 10 students enrolled in a minor in CM, Jacobs said.

Jacobs believes the ACCE accreditation will attract more students to the program including students from CM related community college programs where they can transfer their associate degree credits into a bachelor degree in CM at CBU.

NCAA Champion magazine features CBU athletics LANCERS Fuel

Competition is fierce in the NCAA sports fields and venues, so fierce that the competition is now expanding to the dining halls.

California Baptist University was featured in the Summer 2015 issue of NCAA Champion magazine on the concept of LANCERS Fuel. (Read the entire article here.)

The article describes steps universities are taking to get proper nutrition, also known as fuel, to their athletes.

Christopher Bates is CBU’s director of athletic performance development and strength and conditioning coach. Shortly after he was hired in 2010, he noticed a trend toward properly fueling athletes on the Division I (D-I) level. He became convinced he could find a better way to fuel his athletes with fewer resources than the D-I schools.

Bates reached out to the school’s nutrition and food sciences program, led by Dr. Margaret Barth. The two worked on this concept and together they launched the LANCERS Fuel guide.

The 36-page guide covers everything from food choices to hydration, sleep and much more. It is given to all student-athletes and features a map of locations of healthy food choices at campus dining halls.

“This guide focuses on equipping student-athletes to make the best diet and nutrition choices to optimize performance today – and for life,” Barth said.

Barth has also held nutritional classes for student-athletes. This fall she and Bates will be offering a new one-credit-hour course based on LANCERS Fuel guide.

“LANCERS Fuel guide is just the first phase in the student-athletes nutritional education,” said Bates. “I definitely think it’s a great platform just to continue to build our Lancers Fuel program and ultimately enhance our athletic performance development program.”

GHE program prepares CBU students for careers in health care

A group of three teams from the California Baptist University College of Allied Health spent part of their summer serving communities in China and the Philippines. Their trip was part of the college’s Global Health Engagement (GHE) program.

The GHE program provides students an opportunity to serve in a global health care setting while gaining course credit.

“[GHE] gives students real-world experience that will set them apart when applying for graduate programs or jobs,” said Dr. Charles Sands, provost and vice president for academic affairs. Sands previously served as founding dean of the College of Allied Health

Dr. Margaret Barth, program director of nutrition and food sciences, along with three students, traveled to Changchun, China. The team worked mainly with the Cedarnest Cancer Rehabilitation Center staff in caring for children who were cancer survivors.

Barth and the students conducted seminars and helped assess the children’s health. The students also developed nutrition and health plans.

“Volunteering is a wonderful thing, but it is even more meaningful when students can do something in their area of training,” Barth said.

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor of communication disorders, and Dr. Wayne Fletcher, assistant professor of health science, took seven students to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila, Philippines.  The group split into two teams and rotated through various units in the hospital.

The CBU teams at UST participated in exercise and sports science programs, observed and assisted physicians with occupational, physical and speech therapy. They also joined doctors on their rounds to visiting a rural health clinic.

“On an educational level, they were exposed to in-depth explanations of therapy procedures, testing procedures and medical education,” Vickers said. “The friendliness, the hospitality, the generosity of these people was incredibly humbling.”

Sands traveled with four students to Jilin, China. The students participated in daily rounds with doctors at Bo Hua Hospital. They also assisted hospital staff by creating and developing cardiac rehabilitation exercise routines.

The students were challenged as they spent time in almost every area of the hospital, Sands said.

The students additionally participated in two clinics one in a supermarket where blood pressure and other basic health screenings were offered to the public. They also did a similar event in a farming community outside Jilin.

“We believe that the GHE opportunity is an excellent way for our students to be transformed while learning and serving in these settings,” he said.

Swimmer is PacWest honoree for NCAA Woman of the Year

Mary Hanson, recently graduated California Baptist University student-athlete, was selected as the Pacific West Conference honoree for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The award, now in its 25th year, honors graduating female college athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Hanson, a double major in electrical and computer engineering and mathematics, helped put the Lancers on the map in their first year as a fully-fledged NCAA Division II (D-II) member after winning the school’s first D-II championship. She won the title in the 100-yard backstroke, breaking the all-time record with a time of 52.45 seconds.

She also broke four CBU records at the D-II Championships — 50 freestyle (22.92), 100 freestyle (51.07), 100 backstroke (52.45) and 200 backstroke (1:58.47).

“I definitely didn’t expect it, but I want to say thanks so much to everyone who encouraged and challenged me. I couldn’t have had a better support group,” said Hanson. “I’m honored with the recognition.”

Hanson graduated summa cum laude and hopes to pursue a graduate degree in applied mathematics at the University of Notre Dame.

Nominations for conference honors are forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee, which chooses the top 10 honorees in each of the three NCAA divisions. The selection committee then determines the top three finalists in each division. Finally, members of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will select the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year from the top nine finalists.

Family Updates

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, associate professor of public relations for Online and Professional Studies, served on the planning committee for the Hispanic Digital Media Roundtable and moderated the event held at the Victoria Club in Riverside on July 15. More than 110 people attended. Pearson serves as president of the Public Relations Society of America Inland Empire Chapter (PRSAIE) for 2015. The event was hosted by PRSAIE, California Public Information Officials Organization and American Advertising Federation.

 

 

 

Dr. Chris Morgan, dean of the School of Christian Ministries, contributed an essay, “The Biblical Evidence for Hell,” to The State of American Theology: Knowing the Truth, Loving the Church, Reaching Our Neighbors (Ligonier and LifeWay, 2015).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Andrew Herrity, professor of business and entrepreneurship, facilitated an employer-focus group on June 10 on the CBU campus. The focus was on preparing undergraduate students in the School of Business to compete for jobs.  Participants included regional talent acquisition managers for Target Corp., Enterprise Holdings and the University of California system, as well as hiring managers for some local employers and Mike Bishop, senior director of the Career Center.

 

 

 

Dr. Jeff Barnes, dean of Academic Services, and Michael Osadchuk, coordinator of the Academic Success Center, presented A Comprehensive Retention Plan:  What Is it Good For? at the Ruffalo Noel-Levitz National Conference on Admissions, Marketing, and Student Retention on July 9 in Boston, Mass.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, gave a presentation titled Innovative Approaches to the Teaching of Modern Latin American Literature at the 97^th Annual Conference of the National Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese held in Denver, Colo., on July 17-20.

 

 

 

 

Judy Quinn, a public safety dispatcher, went to China July 8-21 as part of an eight-member team from The Grove Community Church. The team’s primary outreach was to provide summer camps for children of workers who are established there.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeff Cate, professor of New Testament, presented a paper on July 21 at the International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature at Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina in Buenos Aires titled Let ‘Us’ In: Reconsidering the Weakest Links in the Textual Base of Revelation.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Margaret Barth, professor of nutrition and food sciences, and CBU students competed and presented research projects at the IFT15 Annual Scientific Meeting and Food Expo in Chicago July 11-14. Students Grace Crosby, Cecily Dussell, Maria Perez, Kristy Valencia, Jadah Stance, Dana Belk and Lesley Garnica attended the international food, nutrition and technology conference. They presented in the divisions of food service, nutrition and food chemistry. Dussell won first with Phytochemical and compositional analysis of fresh and cooked prickly pear cactus (Opuntia englemanniis), a Native American edible plant from Southern California. Crosby won second with Dietary intake of antioxidants including vitamins C, E, and lycopene among normal weight and obese Native American adolescents. Perez won third with Dietary fiber, carbohydrate and B vitamin intake in normal weight and obese Native American adolescents.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, assistant professor of psychology, and her husband, Raider (’11, ’12) welcomed their second daughter June 2. Penelope Leigh Smith weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. Her older sister is Evelyn, 2.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Aviation flight graduates to benefit from Ameriflight agreement

California Baptist University recently signed an agreement with Ameriflight LLC, that will provide additional career opportunities for aviation flight graduates.

Students who meet a list of requirements will be guaranteed an interview with Ameriflight, a regional cargo carrier based in Dallas, Texas. The requirements include completing CBU curriculum and flight training, maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA and attaining a position as a certified flight instructor.

“This agreement is another vote of industry confidence for our department of aviation science,” said Dr. Daniel Prather, chair of the department of aviation science. “Ameriflight is a well-paying regional airline with a great need for pilots.”

CBU Aviation Science program already has a similar partnership agreements with SkyWest Airlines and Express Jet Airlines.

A recent article by AINonline indicates that Ameriflight raised its pay rates by 20 percent last November, and another increase took effect recently. A senior Embraer EMB-120 captain now makes $89,000 per year and a Piper Chieftain pilot $43,000 (up from $28,000).

The company’s website describes Ameriflight as a fleet cargo service, with more than 2,000 weekly departures and 90,000 flight hours annually. The agreement also includes an opportunity for CBU graduates to land a guaranteed interview with Allegiant Airlines after three years as an Ameriflight captain.

The CBU Department of Aviation Science opened in fall 2013 with 25 students and has grown to almost 60 students currently enrolled. The program has 11 flight training aircraft and an operations center with a flight simulator. This program also operates the CBU Flight School, which provides flight training for anyone who has an interest in learning how to fly at university-level standards.

 

CBU Flight School reaches milestone with testing center

California Baptist University’s Department of Aviation Science recently reached another milestone. The CBU Flight School now has an approved FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Center located in the Flight Operations Center.

The onsite testing center allows students to take their FAA exam in an environment they are familiar with and is convenient for them, said Dr. Daniel Prather, chair of the department of aviation science, which had its inaugural class in the fall of 2013. Previously, CBU aviation science students had to use an off-site testing center. Aviation flight majors typically take one test each semester to earn their rating or certificate in various areas, such as instrument rating or flight engineer.

“Having the testing center in-house just helps us provide the total package,” Prather said. “Students can come into the program, learn how to fly, earn their ratings and certificates, take their FAA written exams and earn their college degree.”

The test center is available to anyone wanting to take FAA-required knowledge exams, not just CBU students. The Flight School has 11 aircraft, six flight instructors with more being hired and now a test center.

“It’s yet another piece of the puzzle that allows us to continue growing and realizing our vision,” Prather said.

 

PacWest TV features CBU Men’s Basketball star’s inspiring story

Two years ago, Chris Brown joined on as one of California Baptist University head coach Rick Croy’s first recruits and established himself as a key member of the team. He was named the inaugural PacWest Defender of the Year in 2013-14 and showed his leadership on and off the court. The PacWest TV showcased the senior guard and his inspiring story of heart and determination in this video.

To read the complete story, click here.

 

 

 

 

11 Lancer women make water polo all-academic team

For the second year in a row, California Baptist University produced 11 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-Academic players in 2015.

In addition to the individual honors, CBU’s women’s water polo team was distinguished as a whole as its 3.27 team grade point average ranked 14^th in the ACWPC, which includes NCAA teams from all three divisions. It is the fourth time the Lancers have had up to 11 All-Academic honorees in the ACWPC, matching the feat in 2011 and qualifying a program-high 12 in 2007.

ACWPC All-Academic awards are given in three tiers: outstanding, superior and excellent. Half of the Lancers were marked as outstanding by posting a GPA between 4.00 and 3.71. Superior students fall between a 3.70 and 3.41 and excellent honorees logged a 3.40 to 3.20.

To read the complete story, click here.

Family Updates

David Isaacs, assistant professor of English, presented a paper, titled In Plain Sight: The Hiddenness of God in Terrence Malick’s The Days of Heaven, at the Western Regional Conference on Christianity and Literature at Seattle University on May 22. He also presented a second paper, Crossing Borders in Alex Rivera’s Sleep Dealer, at the Approaching Posthumanism and the Posthuman conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 5.

 

 

 

Amy Leonard, director of development — athletics, was named CBU’s Employee of the Month for July. The Employee of the Month Nomination Form included the following statements: “Amy has maintained a consistent level of production that has increased as her responsibilities have increased.  I continue to get outstanding unsolicited comments from donors, parents of our students, and the athletic staff about how much they appreciate working with Amy.  She has an attitude of service and it shows in everything she does.”

 

 

 

Dr. Guy Holliday, assistant professor of music, became the associate dean of the School of Music on July 1 in addition to being the director of bands.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Dawn Gilmore, assistant professor of music, attended the National Worship Leaders Conference in Kansas City, Kan., June 23-25. She led a session on The Care and Feeding of Youth Choirs. The conference was sponsored by Worship Leader Magazine. Suzie Stablein, a 1987 CBC graduate, was the conference director.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Derek Updegraff, assistant professor of English, recently published one poem and three short stories in literary journals. His poem Setting appeared in Christianity and Literature, volume 64, number 3; his story Thursday Morning at A. R. Valentien appeared in The Sierra Nevada Review, volume 26; his story Chrysalis appeared in Bayou Magazine, issue 63; and his story Some Substantial Thing appeared in The Chiron Review, issue 100.

 

 

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, associate professor of civil engineering, conducted a seminar on seismic vulnerability and loss estimation of concrete structures for civil engineering graduate students at Seoul National University in Korea on June 22.

 

 

 

 

 

Tracy Ward, associate provost for administration, and DawnEllen Jacobs, vice provost, presented a paper, Visualizing Narrative: A Cross-Cultural Case Study, at the 4^th Annual International Conference on Language, Literature and Linguistics in Singapore June 8-9.  The paper brought together Ward’s experience working with her 2014 ISP Deaf outreach team and Jacobs’ expertise in language and linguistics, giving both scholars an opportunity to explore the intersections of scholarship, service and faith.

 

 

 

The Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce awarded Ashley Hoppes, CBU School of Business student, the Athena Scholarship of $2,000. She was given the award at the 31^st Annual Athena Award luncheon at the Mission Inn on May 20. She was introduced by Dr. Natalie Winter, associate professor of marketing, and presented with the scholarship by Debbi Guthrie, senior vice president of Raincross Hospitality Corp.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Dennis K. Bideshi, professor of biology, coauthored a paper titled Potential use of Bacillus thuringiensis bacteriocins to control antibiotic-resistant bacteria associated with mastitis in dairy goats that was published in Folia Microbiologica (May 2015).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Elaine Ahumada, associate professor of public administration with Online and Professional Studies, was named as Outstanding Educator of the Year by the American Society of Public Administration Inland Empire Chapter. She received the award June 24 at the Victoria Club in Riverside. The award is presented to a person whose primary employment or vocation is in the field of education, either as a teacher, counselor, researcher or fundraiser and has made notable, positive contributions to an organization’s efficiency, morale or economics.

 

 

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, is author of the book Ecocrítica poscolonial y literatura moderna latinoamericana (Postcolonial Ecocriticism and Modern Latin American Literature), which was recently published by the University Press of the UNMSM and has been selected to be presented at the Lima International Book Fair (FIL-Lima 2015). In his book, Flores examines the environmental crisis and its impact on the life and literature of Latin America exploring the ecological consciousness manifested in the thoughts of authors such as José Vasconcelos, Mario Vargas Llosa, Rómulo Gallegos, Gabriel García Márquez, and Rodrigo Fresán.

 

 

 

Brian Zunigha, director of fellowship, and his wife, Jennifer, have adopted two boys from Ethiopia. The adoption of Simeon Adgo, 6, and Moses Bewa, 4, was official on June 18. The couple also have a daughter, Charlotte, 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shannon Stewart, assistant to the director of Facilities and Planning Services, and her husband, Jeff, welcomed their second son on May 18. Tyler Lee weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 21 inches. His brother, Greyson, is 4.

 

 

 

 

Carson Belmont, assistant director of recreation programs, and his wife, Hillary Belmont, assistant strength and conditioning coach, welcomed their second child on July 2. Reagan Joy weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 20.75 inches. Her brother, Jacoby Titus, is 20 months old.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU student athletes lead PacWest in academic honors

California Baptist University placed a conference-high 156 student-athletes on the 2014-15 Academic All-PacWest teams released June 23. It marks the second consecutive year the Lancers grabbed the most academic distinctions in the PacWest.

A total of 1,488 student-athletes received conference recognition for their academic efforts during the 2014-15 season. Athletes must have achieved at least a cumulative 3.0 grade-point average and be eligible for participation or practice in their sport to receive Academic All-PacWest recognition.

The CBU Lancer softball team garnered the most amount of Academic All-PacWest honors, with a total of 19 players. Close behind was the women’s cross country and track program, with 18 players recognized for academic achievement. Women’s soccer placed third-best with 17 athletes on the honor roll.

 

CBU’s MBA students learn about global business on Asia trip

Nineteen MBA students from California Baptist University took their textbook learning to Asia this month for a firsthand view of how it is applied in the business world. The students and Dr. Steve Strombeck, interim dean of the School of Business, traveled to Hong Kong and Korea June 5-14 as part of their Global Business Management course.

For most of the students, the trip was their first time outside of the country. They visited companies such as FedEx, Nestle, Wells Fargo and Samsung and heard executives talk about business and marketing. The group also visited cultural sites, experienced the culture and ate the local food.

The purpose of the trip was to illustrate what students learned in class by experiencing what business is like around the world, Strombeck said.

“All we’re trying to do is add value in the lives of our MBA students. These trips are designed to hopefully get them to think differently,” he said.

For student Mario Minwary, memorable experiences included seeing hot steel fabricated into thin rolls at one of the world’s largest steel mills in Pohang, South Korea, eating Korean barbecue, and bonding with his classmates. He also learned that culture is paramount.

“Culture plays a vital part in how a product/service is developed, marketed and sold,” Minwary said. “It also defines the internal workplace environment. A multinational company such as DHL operating in Korea has a work culture that is more German than Korean, and somehow it works.”

The MBA trip was Deserie Marchbanks’ first time traveling outside the country. She learned that a number of familiar Western brands such as McDonald’s are present even among the different cultures in Asia. But she also saw differences.

“Business appears to be more structured and formalized in the Asian culture and not nearly as relaxed as you see in the United States as a norm,” she said. “Everything is very formal, which is a culture shock when you’re not used to that.”

Strombeck said another goal of the trip was for students to dream big. Most of the executives the students heard from are expatriates. Strombeck, who worked for eight years in Korea and Taiwan, wants students to think about working overseas.

“The value of understanding and appreciating another culture and actually working as an expat overseas is priceless,” he said. “I think our students, generally speaking, need to get out of their own skin. I can think of no better opportunity than for them to serve the Lord overseas, serve in some kind of managerial capacity.”

 

CBU sends out last wave of 2015 teams for service projects

California Baptist University sent its fourth and final wave of volunteer teams to fields of service around the world June 11 through 22. The eight groups, which are part of the International Service Projects and U.S. Projects, are serving in Japan, East Asia, Spain, Thailand, Virginia, New York and Baltimore.

Other teams performed service projects in areas such as Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Poland, Spain, Thailand and United Kingdom. This year, more than 370 participants served on 42 teams to 16 countries. The teams this year also included the 4,000^th participant in the 19 years of ISP/USP/SOS. Last year the Office of Mobilization commemorated sending out its 400^th team.

Before leaving campus, each team gathers to pray at the Kugel, a granite globe that floats on a base inscribed with the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).

The theme for ISP/USP/SOS this year is Resolve. It has been exciting and challenging to see the way the theme has played out in the teams, said Aura Opris, mobilization coordinator for the Office of Spiritual Life.

“We’re resolved to share the gospel regardless of the circumstances,” she said. “I’m going to ask that you pray that this experience not necessarily be an easy experience for our students, but that God would really challenge them in the work that they’re doing there.”

 

CBU Gallery features work from renowned architect’s collection

The CBU Gallery usually presents works by California Baptist University students and local artists.

Now a new type of show is at the gallery. “Cliff May and the California Home” features historic drawings and photographs from the collection of renowned Southern California architect.

The exhibit is the gallery’s “first museum-grade show,” meaning it is similar to those presented at a museum such as the Getty or Norton Simon, said Dr. Katherine Papineau, assistant professor of architecture and art history.

“We want to put CBU on the art map and we are doing that by hosting a museum show,” she said.

May is known as the “father of the ranch house,” a sprawling, single-story home. The home is usually designed around a private courtyard with thick adobe walls, inspired by indigenous dwellings. His exploration of the ranch house promoted the California lifestyle and indoor-outdoor living. He built homes throughout Southern California and a substantial development in Long Beach. The work in the exhibit, which covers 1931-1965, is on loan from the “Cliff May Papers, Architecture and Design Collection” at UC Santa Barbara.

“This kind of show elevates the status of our gallery,” Papineau said. The gallery in downtown Riverside sits adjacent to the established UCR ARTSblock, which consists of three University of California, Riverside, art institutions.

The exhibit runs through Aug. 6. On July 10, the film “Lutah” will be screened. “Lutah” is a documentary of the life and work of Lutah Maria Riggs, a 19th Southern California architect who built in a style similar to that of May.

Family Updates

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, presented a session titled Adopting a Part 139 Compliance Mindset at the American Association of Airport Executives Annual Conference in Philadelphia.  While at the conference June 7-11, Prather had a close-up view to a live burn exercise at the propane-powered Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting training facility at Philadelphia International Airport.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Elaine Ahumada, associate professor of public administration, Dr. Pat Kircher, professor of political science, and Dr. Mark Kling, assistant professor of criminal justice, all with Online and Professional Studies, presented Building Community in Online and Residency Programs at the annual Teaching Public Administration Conference June 2-6 in Columbus, Ohio, at Franklin University. Ahumada was also a guest panel presenter for Dissertation and Beyond; Developing Outcomes for the Scholarly Practitioner.

 

Dr. Geneva Oaks, dean of the School of Nursing, and Dr. Susan Drummond, associate professor of nursing, attended the Institute of Humanbecoming May 26-30 in Pittsburgh, Penn., as the California chapter co-presidents of the international consortium of Parse scholars to study with nurse theorist Dr. Rosemarie Rizzo Parse.  The CBU School of Nursing is using this theoretical perspective linked to the Biblical worldview to guide nursing practice.  Oaks also graduated from Leadership Riverside June 11.  Decision-makers of local businesses, government agencies, non-profit organizations, schools and universities participate in a 10-month program devoted to regional issues. Oaks also was chosen in June as a Wharton Fellow in the American Academy of Colleges of Nursing Executive Leadership Program.

 

Dr. Patrick Schacht, assistant professor of biochemistry, spoke at Branch Church in San Diego for its evangelism training series on June 9. The title of his talk was Conversing with the Intellect: Understanding Evolution and reaching people with the God of science.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Tran Hong, associate vice president of technology, presented a poster, Motivational Attributes of Staff, at The Carnegie Project on Education Doctorate held June 8 at Cal State University, Fullerton.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Knabb, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, conducted a training session sponsored by Philhaven Hospital in Mount Gretna, Penn., June 11-12. Knabb presented acceptance and commitment therapy to mental health professionals, along with strategies to integrate the Christian faith when working with Christian clients in psychotherapy and counseling.

 

 

 

Yolanda Osborne, adjunct professor of mathematics, was awarded the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit with President Obama’s signature, the Lifesaving Award of Merit Badge and a 40-year Red Cross Water Safety Instructor pin at the American Red Cross Annual Volunteer Recognition on June 6 in Ontario, Calif.

 

 

 

 

Krista Wagner, adjunct professor of English, held a book signing for her novel Intent on June 18 at CSU San Bernardino.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Judd Bonner, dean of the School of Music, and Dr. Larry Linamen, vice president for Global Initiatives, and a music ensemble traveled to China May 22-June 2 and performed 12 concerts. The students who made up the ensemble, Hope, were Devron Suttle, Jonathan Jorge, Alex Gutierrez, Ivan Utomo, Kathleen Kopitzke, Tayler Lanning, Bryn Rosander and Hannah Stadnick.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Seunghyun Chun, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, presented his paper, Integration of Mathematics for Sustainable Energy Applications, on June 16 at the 2015 American Society of Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition held in Seattle.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jim Buchholz, professor of mathematics and physics, won Best Parody at the Temecula Independent Film Festival June 13 for his short film, Jim Beechwood’s Career Day.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Candace Vickers, associate professor communication disorders, and Dr. Wayne Fletcher, assistant professor of health science, and seven students went to Manila, Philippines. The group completed a clinical rotation May 21-June 14 at the University of Santo Tomas as part of the Global Health Engagement program. The students were Latasha Murray, Krissy Kendrick, Alisa Traver, Nicole Escoto, Gisselle Escobar, Matthew Reyes and Morgan Miller.

 

 

 

Dr. Chuck Sands, dean of the College of Allied Health, and four students traveled to Jilin City, China, as part of the Global Health Engagement Program. The Consortium for Global Education provided two grants to support the work done in Jilin and at Bo Hua Hospital through the Global Health Engagement Program. As part of those grants, a portable EKG Machine was purchased and presented to Jin Shu, president and owner of Bo Hua Hospital in Jilin City, China, on June 19. The students on the team were Ashlee Amparan, Dana Belk, Stephanie Rojas and Juan Cuara.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jacob Lanphere, assistant professor of environmental science, chaired the first Environmental Nanotechnology Seminar at Mount Snow, Vt., June 20-21. He also was a poster judge at the 2015 Environmental Nanotechnology Conference in Mount Snow, Vt., June 21-26.

 

 

 

 

Robert Diaz (’07), library access services manager, and his wife, Marisa (nee Aguilar,’07), welcomed their second daughter on May 15. Rachel Eden Diaz weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 19.5 inches long. Her older sister, Mia, is 2.

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

New student orientation begins early at CBU

Nicci Hinderaker, of Long Beach, strolled on campus at California Baptist University, excited to visit classrooms and meet other new students.

Hinderaker, whose sister, Tori, also attends CBU, will play on the volleyball team. She was one of the approximately 270 incoming freshman, with family members in tow, who streamed onto campus June 8 for Step Ahead Orientation.

Hinderaker’s mother Beth liked that orientation was held early. “It gives them time to prepare and to get excited,” she said.

Orientation is coming early and often this year. Step Ahead Orientation will happen four times for freshman and three times for transfer and non-recent high school graduates.

Several reasons led to the change, said Kelli Welzel, director of new student programs. Students and parents have questions about services and academic programs. Providing all that information the weekend before school starts when students are moving in can be overwhelming, Welzel said. Last year, about 3,500 parents attended orientation. It’s difficult to program for that many people.

“We’re growing, so we’re trying to meet a growing need and still offer the same feeling of intimacy,” she said. “We believe it showcases the university well and what the university has to offer to students.”

During orientation, incoming students will meet with faculty from their school or college, register for classes and learn about other services. The freshmen will spend one night on campus. The students also will participate in the Kugel walk. The Kugel, a floating granite globe sculpture, is a symbol of Christ’s Great Commission. CBU tradition calls for newly enrolled students to touch the Kugel as they begin their educational experience at CBU.

They will also hear about CBU’s history and purpose.

“We want to make it real clear in the summer — this is what you’re signing on to, this is who we are as a culture, this is the benefit of being a part of CBU,” Welzel said.

Braden Sapp, from Colorado, is coming for the music program. He looked forward to learning about the campus and registering for classes. His mother, Analee Sapp, also appreciated an earlier orientation, because she has two children attending different universities.

“It makes it so much easier,” she said.

A final orientation day before classes start will be held for international and out-of-state students who could not attend during the summer. This will be followed by Welcome Weekend, when new students move in and get connected socially and spiritually.

Welzel acknowledges holding multiple orientation sessions is more work for staff and for the schools and colleges that arrange for faculty members to participate.

“It’s taken everybody coming together to make this happen,” she said. “It’s been amazing to see how everybody has come behind it and has been willing to do this to serve the students. I think it says a lot about our CBU community.”

 

Drought highlights conservation as an ongoing process for CBU

The expansive Front Lawn at California Baptist University is home to flag football and soccer intramurals, the Fortuna Bowl, the homecoming block party and the campus Christmas Party. The lawn has great practical value, but it also is the 200,000-square-foot heart of CBU.

“There’s an iconic imagery,” said Steve Smith, director of facilities and planning services (F&PS). And the imagery will remain green even in the most severe droughts in California history.

Aware of public perception as one drives by the Front Lawn, Smith wants people to know that 80 percent of the irrigation is provided by two wells on campus that tap a local groundwater basin. One well was drilled before the founding of CBU, the other in 2012. The well water is non-potable, but well suited for irrigation.

Thanks to the campus water source, the signature Front Lawn is expected to retain its verdant beauty. But CBU continues making a number of other changes in response to California’s record drought. For Smith, conserving water has been an ongoing process for the past several years. Low-flow plumbing fixtures have been installed. Sprinklers have been changed to drip lines and landscaping switched to drought-tolerant.

“We should all strive to be good stewards constantly, he said. “The biblical call on us is to care for these resources and make them long-lasting. That sounds idealistic, but I think that can be done and we’re doing a good job of that here.”

For landscape and irrigation, F&PS created an Xeriscape plan. Xeriscape refers to landscaping and gardening practices and design that reduce, mitigate or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation. Water-wise plants and drip systems have been installed in front of the School of Nursing, in planters and strip areas in the housing areas and parking lots. Fewer annuals are being planted. Landscaping associated with new construction will follow that model.

“There is a strategy to convert more and more turf area to what we call our CBU native or sustainable planting,” Smith said. Several areas on campus have been identified for turf removal that has already begun in some locations.

By the athletic fields, F&PS, the environmental science program and Provider Food Services are collaborating on a garden. There F&PS will test what new plants grow well; environmental science will use a portion for projects, and Provider will use herbs grown there for food preparation.

Along with conserving water, CBU is conserving energy. Lights are going to LED. In the newer buildings, light and temperature control sensors are linked to occupancy. Lancer Palms on Wayne Court is powered partially by solar. More solar panels may be coming.

While the goal is primarily to conserve natural resources, there’s a higher goal, too.

“Biblically, this idea of conserving and sustainability and stuff was not an invention by man,” Smith said. “God appointed us stewards of these resources.”

 

CBU advances in NCAA Division II Directors’ Cup standings

In just two years as a fully-fledged NCAA Division II member, California Baptist University has established itself as one of the top athletic programs in the division. The Lancers finished the 2014-15 season with a 16th-place finish in the Division II Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings, moving up 10 spots from last year’s placement.

“Our student athletes and coaches had a great year,” said Dr. Micah Parker, director of athletics. “It’s exciting to be ranked so high in only our second year in the NCAA division II.”

CBU — who claimed its third PacWest Commissioner’s Cup earlier this spring — finishes as the highest program not only among the PacWest institutions, but the West Region as well with 523.70 points. Azusa Pacific comes in at No. 17 (522.75) in its first year eligible, while Simon Fraser is the next West Region program, sitting at No. 26 (467.00).

The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today.  Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in up to 14 sports — seven women’s and seven men’s. CBU picked up a bulk of its points in the winter with both basketball programs making it to the Sweet 16 and the women moving on to finish as the national runner-up team.

After the spring season concluded, CBU was awarded points for baseball, softball, women’s golf and women’s track each advancing to postseason. Women’s golf added 60 points for its 13th-place overall finish on the year and the Lancer softball program dished out another 50 after finishing the year 17th in the division. Baseball tacked on 25 points after making its 11th postseason appearance in 12 years and ending the successful campaign as the 33rd team in the division. Women’s track rounded out the final points of the spring season after Veronica Hall became the first Lancer to earn NCAA Division II All-American honors in the 1500-meter, crossing the finish line for seventh place.

 

CBU teams begin next wave of summer 2015 service projects

California Baptist University sent out seven more volunteer teams to fields of service around the world June 1 through 3. The groups, which are part of the International Service Projects and Summer of Service programs, are serving in East Asia, Kosovo, Japan, Russia, Poland and Germany.

Twenty-seven teams have already been sent to service projects in areas such as Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Spain, Thailand and United Kingdom. More than 370 participants will serve this summer on 42 teams to 16 countries.

Before leaving campus, each team gathers to pray at the Kugel, a granite globe that floats on a base inscribed with the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).

Leaders of the latest teams to head out asked for prayer for flexibility, boldness and team unity.

“Pray that we would be intentional in everything that we do, that we would be focused on serving the people and not on ourselves,” one leader said.

 

CBU receives national ranking for Online Programs for Veterans

California Baptist University’s online programs have earned the No. 20 spot in the 2015 Best Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs for Veterans rankings by U.S. News & World Report. CBU was also ranked in the top 100 nationwide for their Online Graduate Education and Online MBA Programs for Veterans.

“I’m delighted that once again we have been ranked by U.S. News as a Best Online Programs for Veterans,” said Dr. David Poole, vice president for Online and Professional Studies at CBU.  “Online courses offer our service men and women the flexibility and convenience to complete their college education, regardless of where they may be stationed or live. This national ranking is a strong testament to the University’s continued commitment to our nation’s veterans and active military personnel.”

CBU entered the online education market in the spring of 2010 with programs offered by the university’s Division of Online and Professional Studies.  Also named by G.I. Jobs magazine as a 2015 Military Friendly School, CBU Online offers 21 bachelor degree programs with 30 major concentrations, and 14 master degree programs. Degree and course offerings are accessible fully online or in a hybrid format (virtual and synchronous) at educational service centers near some of California’s largest military bases.

To help veterans choose affordable, accessible and reputable distance education, U.S. News has launched its annual rankings of the Best Online Programs for Veterans, according to its website. All of the ranked programs belong to institutions that are certified for the G.I. Bill and participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, two federal initiatives that help veterans reduce the cost of school.

For more information about the rankings, please visit the U.S. News 2015 Best Online Programs for Veterans at http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/bachelors/veteran-rankings.

 

CBU inks agreement with nation’s largest medical school

College students who hope to attend medical school are frequently stressed by juggling school work, studying for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and filling out medical school applications.

California Baptist University has a prescription that may help ease that stress.

CBU recently signed an agreement with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) that would allow qualified students to achieve early acceptance into their medical, pharmacy or dental school. LECOM is the largest medical school in the U.S., with its main campus in Erie, Penn.

Starting this fall, incoming freshmen or sophomores can apply for the program.

CBU students don’t need to major in anything specific. However, they do have to work through the department of health sciences to negotiate the process, said Dr. Wayne Fletcher, assistant professor of health science.

Fletcher deals with students who are applying to medical school in their senior year. He said early acceptance gives students peace of mind.

“It takes a lot of pressure off of students,” he said of the early acceptance. “I think that’s the biggest incentive for students.”

The students apply online and go through an interview process. Once accepted, students must maintain their grades before enrolling in LECOM’s program. LECOM has guaranteed CBU students five seats per year.

LECOM contacted Fletcher about the program.

“We have found that institutions with a religious affiliation often have mission statements and a philosophy that parallels LECOM’s commitment to professionalism, a strong work ethic and moral  principles,” said John Wojtkielewicz, LECOM’s institutional director of undergraduate affiliations. “These schools also have strong academic standards that generally lead to their students being successful in our programs. Therefore, we reached out to California Baptist.”

For CBU, the agreement allows the university to help students live their purpose, Fletcher said.

“How can you do that better than providing students with a window, an opportunity to go directly into what they wanted to go?” he asked.

 

Dean of School of Christian Ministries contributes to new Bible

The wrath of God can evoke spirited debate. Some people downplay God’s wrath, saying God is too loving to do that. Others say God is as wrathful as he is loving.

Neither side is biblical, said Dr. Chris Morgan, dean of the School of Christian Ministries, citing passages like Exodus 34:6-7, which depict God as slow to anger but abounding in covenant love.

“We tend to view God through our own sentimental lens rather than through the biblical story,” Morgan said. “The wrath of God is a part of who God is. God is a just and loving and a good God who is opposed to evil.”

Morgan wrote about the wrath of God for the NIV Zondervan Study Bible that is scheduled for publication in August. The NIV Study Bible is the best-selling study Bible. The new edition features Dr. D. A. Carson as general editor and more than 60 contributors, as well as new study notes and other study tools that combine to present a biblical theology of God’s special revelation in the Scriptures, according to the Zondervan website.

Morgan is one of those contributors. He has written or edited 15 books ranging from the love of God, heaven, the church, the kingdom of God and the doctrine of sin. Four of those books are related to hell, so the request for the article about wrath was not unusual.

God’s wrath is not an attribute of him like his love or holiness, Morgan said. Those are intrinsic and eternal, but wrath is occasioned by sin.

“Partly because God is a God of love, he gets angry,” he said. “Evil and sin contaminate and destroy and he’s seriously opposed to all things that would hurt his creatures.”

Morgan said the new edition includes summary articles on doctrines in the Bible, such as the glory, the justice, the love of God.

“Christian doctrine isn’t really a smorgasbord or about what we might prefer to believe. It’s our job to study what is and follow what the revelation of God is in the Scriptures, so it’s not really a creative enterprise,” he said. “It’s a research and processing what’s there enterprise.”

 

CBU named one of America’s best for intramural sports

Almost 1,300 California Baptist University students participated in intramurals during the 2014-15 academic year. Thirty teams – 19 men’s and 11 women’s – competed in flag football. Several thousand came to watch the last games of the season at the Fortuna Bowl during Homecoming in November 2014.

BestColleges.com recently named CBU as one of the best colleges for intramural sports. Colleges were vetted based on the number of intramural sports they offered, the qualities of team management and coaching, and student surveys, which assessed how enjoyable intramural sports were to play at each school, according to the website.

Flag football, volley, basketball and soccer are the main intramural sports offered at CBU. Wiffle ball, kickball, ping pong, racquetball and dodge ball are available for one or two weeks or a single day event.

Intramural sports are popular for several reasons, said Tyler Cox, director of recreation programs. Students spend more time out of class, than they do in, so intramurals give them something to do. Athletes who do not play at the collegiate level enjoy the competitive outlet.

“The No. 1 thing, it just builds relationships,” Cox said. “People are going to have a more enjoyable experience while they’re here because they feel a part of something. They’ve made some deeper connections. I think that’s going to overall just enhance the students’ experience while they’re here.”

One of the most popular options is flag football. The season culminates with the Fortuna Bowl, which includes fireworks and brings an exciting end to Homecoming Weekend. Students often join a flag football team because they hope to make it to the end and be part of the event, Cox said.

At new student orientation, students learn about different opportunities for participation, from service projects to clubs to intramural sports. Sports is a popular activity that draws people together, Cox said.

“We’ve seen those connections last throughout the four years,” he said.

Family Updates

Dr. Jacqueline N. Gustafson, dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences, received the Honorary Sigma Chi Pi Alumni Award from her alma mater, Northwest University, in Kirkland, Wash., on May 9.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, associate professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, was elected as Region 48 legislation leader by California Association for Health Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in May.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. John D. Obradovich, adjunct professor for Online and Professional Studies, co-authored an article titled Promoter Ownerships and Corporate Leverage: Evidence from Indian Firms, which was published in the spring issue of the journal Corporate Ownership & Control.

 

Dr. Chuck Sands, dean of the College of Allied Health, spoke at Zhejiang Medical College in China on May 22 to more than 250 students and parents who expressed interest in the 3+2 program between ZJMC and the CAH at CBU. He also met with students who are in the first cohort of the program.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Marshare Penny, associate professor of public health, is teaching at Zhejiang Medical College in Hangzhou City, China. She will be there for eight weeks as part of a partnership between California Baptist University and Zhejiang Medical College.

 

 

 

 

Jeremy Zimmerman, director of marketing, and Melissa Rekos, senior vice president of digital strategies at Carnegie Communications, presented Surround Sound: A New Way to Find, Engage and Recruit Students at the Western Association of College Admissions Counseling 2015 Conference in Reno, Nev., on May 20.

 

 

 

 

Sixteen students from the College of Allied Health (CAH) completed the 2014-2015 Leadership Allied Health program and were awarded certificates of completion at the CAH hooding ceremony and graduation reception on April 28. Leadership Allied Health is a student leadership program within CAH.

 

 

 

Dr. Michelle Nielsen, assistant professor of mathematics, assisted with a workshop for graduate students at the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences conference May 25-30 at Redeemer University in Ontario, Canada.

 

 

 

 

The Bell Tower Society hosted its inaugural Evening of Celebration on May 21 to honor and recognize some of CBU’s most generous supporters. Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president, opened the evening with stories of the past and visions for the future. Individuals and organizations were recognized for annual and lifetime giving. Five were honored at the Founder Level of the Bell Tower Society: Dr. Gordon and Jill Bourns; Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth (represented by their daughter, Lisa Collinsworth); Drs. Robert and Phoebe Lambeth; The James L. Stamps Foundation (represented by Richard and Cheryl Salyer); and Dr. Billie Yeager and her late husband, Eugene. The Founders received a signed and numbered limited edition print of an original watercolor painting of the James Building by Jessica Schoellerman, a CBU graphics design student.

 

Two CBU students volunteered at a workshop for teachers and interested students in learning how to improve communication skills for English language learners held by the Inland Empire Chapter of CATESOL, an organization which serves Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in California and Nevada. Megan Adams, who is pursuing her master’s in English, and Bryce Erickson, an intercultural studies major, volunteered at the event, which had about 30 participants and was held at CBU May 16.

 

 

 

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, made a presentation titled Accreditation and the City College of San Francisco: A Case Study on Governance at a symposium on Higher Education Administration and Policy at the University of California, Riverside, on June 1.

 

 

 

The University Advancement and Alumni & Parent Relations offices’ eChristmas Card won a bronze prize in the Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. CBU was recognized in the Short Videos category. The ecard also placed second in the Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition held by the Baptist Communicators Association in April.

 

Dr. Robert G. Crosby, assistant professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, published an article, Examining the Formal Education of Children’s Ministers in the United States: Suggestions for Professional Development, Christian Education, and Emerging Research in the spring issue of the Christian Education Journal.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Second wave of volunteers departs for global service

California Baptist University sent out 11 more volunteer teams May 13 through 20. The groups, which are participating in International Service Projects and Summer of Service programs, are serving in multiple locations in Asia and the United Kingdom.

The teams join 16 others already at work in Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Poland, Spain, Thailand and the United Kingdom. More than 370 participants will serve this summer on 42 teams in 16 countries. The teams also will include the 4,000^th participant in the 19-year history of ISP/USP/SOS.

Before they leave the campus, each team gathers to pray at the Kugel, a granite globe that floats on a base inscribed with the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).

The teams asked for prayer as they serve each other, the fieldworkers and others they meet.

Kristen White, director of global mobilization, told family and friends that the burden falls on them to pray.

“I ask you to band together in prayer, that you would be as resolved or more so than my friends going,” she said. “The real work will be done on your knees here. So my prayer for you is that the Holy Spirit would help you figure out your time, how to pray for each one of them.”

 

CBU graduate runs half marathon in Japan

Jacqueline Lutz crossed the stage May 2 to receive her master’s degree in education from California Baptist University. A week later, she ran in the streets of Sendai, Japan.

Lutz was one of two runners representing the city of Riverside in the Sendai International Half Marathon on May 10. Riverside and Sendai are sister cities. Runners included those from Sendai’s other sister/friendship cities, such as Rennes, France, and Minsk, Belarus, and world class runners. More than 10,000 runners participated.

“The experience of running with athletes from all over the world is just so exciting and such an honor to be lined up on the start line with them,” Lutz said.

Lutz also was chosen to run in the half marathon last year. This year she was joined by Michael John Stanley as the men’s runner and Adrian Aros as the delegation leader. She finished 79^th in the women’s group with 1 hour, 36 minutes and 51 seconds, which was more than 3 minutes faster than her time last year. While in Japan, the team also met with the sister city athletes, visited a mausoleum, a Buddhist temple and the Sendai International Center.

“I was really excited with the results and just being able to meet the new sister city athletes and coaches and also the returning athletes and coaches,” she said.

Lutz, who received her bachelor’s degree from CBU in 2012, was a member of the Lancer cross country and track team as a 5k and 10k runner. Her biggest challenge last year was training. Since she no longer was part of the team, she had to determine what worked for her, she said. To prepare this year, she ran several half marathons as well as a 5k and 10k.

She was thankful she had the opportunity to run in the event twice and would like to apply to go again.

“For me, what comes to mind, is how much of an honor and a blessing it is to be chosen to represent the city of Riverside, and along with that, representing California Baptist University, and most importantly the Lord,” she said. “I’m just very grateful that He allowed me to run again.”

 

CBU wins third PacWest Commissioner’s Cup

For the second year in a row, California Baptist University has won the PacWest Commissioner’s Cup by a good cushion, according to an announcement by the PacWest Conference May 7.

Since joining the conference during the 2011-12 season and winning their first Commissioner’s Cup, the Lancers have won the Cup three times, becoming the first program to do so. CBU is also just the second school to take home back-to-back awards after claiming the Cup last year and has never finished outside of the top two in the standings.

“Winning the Commissioner’s Cup for the third time in four years is a big accomplished for our student athletes, coaches and staff members,” said Director of Athletics Dr. Micah Parker. “We’ve had to continue to improve as a department because the PacWest has become so much stronger than when we won this for the first time four years ago. This accomplishment reflects the hard work of our coaches who are recruiting the right student athletes for CBU and then developing them each year. I’m proud to work with so many people who want to Honor Christ through excellence in athletics.”

CBU ended the year in the top spot in the race for the Cup, finishing the year with a score of 12.682, over the Azusa Pacific University Cougars’ 11.091 mark.

The PacWest Commissioner’s Cup was established in 2007-08 to honor the athletic program with the best overall performance in that academic year. The competition is based upon average finish in PacWest sports. Each school’s points are totaled and then divided by the number of PacWest athletic programs it offers, giving an overall average finish for the school. Since not every team in the conference sponsors the same sports, the PacWest Commissioner’s Cup Standings are based upon average finish instead of point totals. Each school’s points are totaled and then divided by the number of PacWest athletic programs it offers, giving an overall average finish for the school.

 

Distinguished Professor, Scholar and Staff member honored

California Baptist University honored two faculty and a staff member on April 30 during its annual faculty and staff awards banquet.

CBU’s board of trustees each year selects the Distinguished Professor and Distinguished Scholar award recipients.

Dr. Elizabeth A. Morris, professor of education for Online and Professional Studies (OPS), was named Distinguished Professor, a faculty member who has established a record of distinguished service to CBU.

“I was honored and humbled,” she said. “Many of the names who have been given this award before me were my professors, mentors, administrators and friends.  I think that is a great testament to those who are part of where I am today.

Morris has been at CBU for 17 years and has taught various math courses, childhood core courses and education courses at the master’s level.

“I am thankful every day for the gift of teaching that God has given me,” she said. “I continually pray for the opportunity to make a difference for my students, to ease math anxiety, to empower my students to succeed, and to inspire those who want to be teachers.”

Dr. Andrew Herrity, professor of business and entrepreneurship, was named Distinguished Scholar. His proposal is to research and write a book that would address two related challenges: few students in business flourish in Christ and few business graduates flourish in Christ in the first years after graduation.

Herrity has taught at CBU for 22 years and his classes have included business policy and entrepreneurship.

“The recognition from the university affirms that the book project is a good direction, and that encourages me,” he said. “My hope is to help every student in my courses develop in his or her God-given talents for thriving in work and contributing as problem-solvers.”

Robert Shields, online learning systems administrator for OPS, was named Employee of the Year. CBU’s Executive Council selects the Employee of the Year recipient from those staff members who have been named employees of the month during the year. Any employee may submit a nomination for employee of the month to that employee’s supervisor.

Shields’ job includes providing support and training for the Blackboard learning management system and providing help desk support for students, faculty and staff in OPS.

“Technology changes so quickly, and everyone has different needs when it comes to using technology,” Shields said about his job and helping others. “I don’t think there’s a really one size fits all when it comes to providing technology support. I try to listen to what the needs of each person are and provide a solution that best fits the situation based on a person’s business needs and skill set.”

Family Updates

About 100 second-graders from Stokoe Elementary School in Riverside visited CBU May 18 in association with the No Excuses University Program. The program is designed to encourage kids at an early age to consider going to college. Dr. Doreen Ferko, professor of special education, Dr. Ricardo Cordero-Soto, assistant professor of mathematics,  Dr. Helen Jung, associate professor of civil engineering, Dr. Grace Ni, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Dr. Rebecca Meyer, assistant professor of nursing, talked to the students about their respective fields.

 

 

 

Dr. Creed Jones, professor of software engineering, and Dr. Matthew Rickard, associate professor of bioengineering, presented their paper, Scleral strain near the limbus using digital microscopy of natural features in porcine eyes at ARVO 2015, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology’s annual conference, which met in Denver on May 3-7.  More than 11,000 attendees participated in the event, which included clinicians, scientists and engineers.  CBU undergraduate engineering students (all recent graduates) also co-authored the paper, including Jonathan Cox, James DeVore, Alma Castro and Jonathan Brannen.

 

 

Joni B. Hannigan, adjunct professor for public relations for Online and Professional Studies, received the Frank Burkhalter Award for news writing at the 51st annual Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition held by the Baptist Communicators Association in San Francisco on April 15-18. Hannigan submitted a news package she had written about disaster relief ministry for illegal immigrant children in Brownsville, Texas, who had come from South and Central America. She also won a first place award for a single article within the package and a third place for a photograph.

 

 

Dr. Michael Roe, adjunct professor of education, wrote an article titled Connecting Learning to Career Pathways, published in the May/June issue of Leadership Magazine. He also presented research for CBU’s Leadership Series on Organizational Tactics on April 23.

 

Noemi Hernandez Alexander, lecturer of political science for Online and Professional Studies, presented research on the Dimensions of Social Capital and Latino Political Participation at the 2015 Western Political Science Association Conference in Las Vegas on April 1.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, taught a four-day airport certified employee – operations course to 37 airport professionals in Seattle on May 4-7.

 

 

 

 

The School of Christian Ministries developed a new lecture series webpage with videos of recent speakers Dr. Timothy George, Dr. George H. Guthrie and Dr. Steve Wellum. The School of Christian Ministries Lecture Series provides an opportunity for students, faculty, pastors and guests to learn from leading evangelical scholars who combine their academic expertise with service to the church.

 

Dr. Dan Wilson, professor of biblical studies, was elected as chairman by the board of trustees at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary at its spring meeting April 14-15.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science, Dr. Daniel Szeto, associate professor of biology and biochemistry, and Dr. Nathanael Heyman, associate professor biology, along with several of their student researchers attended the 40^th annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference on April 25 at Point Loma Nazarene University. Brittany Appleby, Koo’s student, presented the results of her research in a talk titled Seedling Response and Spoil Characteristics on Surface Mine Land-Carbon Sequestration. Szeto’s students Gisele Shema, Monica Sangco, Daniella Munezero and Cecily Dussel presented the results of their research in a poster titled Gene Regulation in Lateral Mesodermal Progenitor Cells of Zebrafish. Heyman’s students Spencer Arnold, Gabriela Lumagui and Amairani Villa presented the results of their research in a poster titled Investigation of the Effects of Energy Drink on Zebrafish.

 

Dr. William Flores, associate professor of Spanish, represented CBU as an honored guest at the dedication ceremony of the new Guatemalan consulate in San Bernardino on April 18. The formal ceremony was attended by foreign representatives of the Central American country in the United States and invited guests. Flores spoke about the California DREAM Act and the diverse ways in which CBU is providing service to the local Hispanic community.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Cammy Purper, assistant professor of early childhood studies for Online and Professional Studies, recently successfully defended her dissertation, A Study of Early Childhood Teachers’ Use of Federally Funded Websites that Disseminate Information About Evidence-Based Practices at Claremont Graduate University. As a result, she has earned a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in special education.

 

 

 

While on tour earlier this month, the Women’s Choir met a former CBC professor, Gerald Longerbeam, at Brookdale Redmond, a senior living community in Redmond, Ore.  Longerbeam taught at CBC in the 1950s. On May 10, the Women’s Choir was hosted at Trinity Baptist Church in Livermore, Calif., where CBC alumni Donna and Merrill Smoak and John Raymondi attend. Merrill Smoak is the minister of worship and music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lupe Solano, administrative assistant for university advancement, received her bachelor’s degree in sociology during CBU’s commencement ceremonies on May 2.

 

 

 

 

The department of natural and mathematical sciences held its annual Forensic Science Day on May 4 for students from the Law Enforcement and Protective Services Academy at John W. North High School in Riverside. Dr. John Higley, associate professor of criminal justice, helped the students process a mock crime scene and collect evidence, which the students analyzed in the chemistry lab, assisted by Dr. Patrick Schacht, assistant professor of biochemistry, and several chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology majors.

 

 

Dr. H. Bruce Stokes, professor of anthropology and behavioral sciences, and Julie Goodman, assistant professor of anthropology, attended the Southwestern Anthropological Association (SWAA) meetings at the Queen Mary in Long Beach May 1-3. They participated on a panel presentation of fieldwork in anthropology. Goodman, who serves as the secretary of SWAA, also held a session for students interested in graduate school in anthropology.

 

 

Faculty and staff who were recognized for their years of service at the Faculty and Staff Awards Banquet on April 30 included:

5 years of service: Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, Christopher Bates, Dr. Mark Blincoe, Mollie Bohrer, Dr. Torria Bond, Dr. Lisa Bursch, Monte Capps, Dr. Linn Carothers, Shelley Clow, Morgan Cox, Jane Craig, Dr. Khamla Dhouti-Martinez, Tamarin Fleming, Sandy Frazer, Sean Gaynor, Dr. Trevor Gillum, Erin Guerrero, Sean Henning, Dr. Tran Hong, Kyle Howlett, Dr. Francois Jacobs, Kendra Johnson, Jason Larkins, Sonya Lopez, Anita Martinez, Dr. Neal McBride, Candyce McCloud, Dr. Rebecca Meyer, Marta Morrison, Lynnae N. Nagel, Dr. Monica O’Rourke, Dr. Joseph Pelletier, Dr. Frederick Pontius, Dr. David L. Poole, Charles Ramos, Dr. Victoria Randazzo, Dr. Matthew Rickard, Merritt Robinson, Dr. Chuck Sands, David Savolainen, Gregg M. Schroeder, Kipp Smith, Kyle Smith, Zelotes Smith, Sheri L. Torelli, Stacey Toro, Nancy Ward, Erin Wellington, Kelli Welzel and Amy Wright

10 years of service: Pam Bailon, Mike Berger, Dr. Eric Brook, Debbie Coppers, Jeffery Couto, Dr. Kenya Davis-Hayes, Dr. William Flores, Kristina Gibeault, Robert Griffin, Dr. John Higley, Heather Hubbert, Rachel Keys, Dr. Bonjun Koo, Mike Marse, Dr. Jane McGuire, Theodore “Ted” Meyer, Julie Moulton, Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, Samantha Sonke, Dr. Sean Sullivan, Dr. Laura Veltman, Dr. Deron Walker, Kristen White and Jeremy Zimmerman

15 years of service: John Engelschall, Julie Fresquez, Jose Hernandez, Irina Renfro, Lupe Solano, Dr. Jennifer Tronti, Dr. Tracy Ward and Dr. Jonathan Parker

20 years of service: Dr. James Lu, Dr. John McCarthy, Kris Smith and Dr. Amy Stumpf

30 years of service: Dr. Tim Luther

The board of trustees approved the following faculty promotions:

Promotion from assistant to associate professor: Michael Berger, Dr. Nathanael Heyman, Dr. Susan Jetton

Promotion from associate professor to full professor: Dr. Dirk Davis, Dr. John Reinebach, Dr. Keith Walters

Promotion from associate librarian to librarian: Dr. Steve Emerson

Granted tenure: Michael Berger, Dr. Dirk Davis, Dr. Keith Hekman, Dr. Susan Jetton, Dr. Jennifer Newton, Dr. Juliann Perdue, Dr. John Reinebach, Dr. Keith Walters, Dr. Marc Weniger, Dr. Natalie Winter, Dr. Xuping Xu

Granted tenure continuation: Dr. Anthony Chute, Dr. Beverly Howard, Dr. Richard Mobley, Dr. Susan Studer

 

Brendan Provance, son of Dr. Brett Provance, associate professor of humanities for Online and Professional Studies, was the honorary bat boy at the Angels baseball game on Cinco de Mayo. This was facilitated by University Advancement as part of the Angels baseball game night for CBU. Brendan met most of the players and a number of the coaches and is pictured in the official uniform issued to him that night.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates