In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU aviation spreading its wings with federal agencies

The Department of Aviation Science at California Baptist University recently made advancements with federal agencies that will help it better serve students.

First, the Federal Aviation Administration granted CBU its Air Agency Certificate as a part 141 school. To achieve this, CBU was required to have dedicated training facilities, flight instructor oversight, and FAA-approved course curriculum.

“It bodes to the excellence in the program because it’s a greater oversight by the FAA and represents over two years of hard work from many people,” said Dr. John Marselus, chair of the Department of Aviation Science.

CBU was granted provisional part 141 status in September 2020. After receiving provisional, schools need to have 10 check rides with an 80 percent pass rate within two years to move to full certification. CBU did it in under six months, Marselus said.

With the certification, CBU applied for restricted ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) approval, which allows college students to be employed by the airlines with 1,000 flight hours instead of 1,500 hours, Marselus said. Other advantages to becoming a part 141 school include allowing more hours to count in the aviation simulators, fewer hours required in the program, and accepting international students in the aviation program.

Additionally, CBU revamped its two aviation science degree programs—aviation flight and aviation management—and in January, the Department of Veterans Affairs granted approval for veterans pursuing these degrees to receive VA funds. Concentrations were created, including commercial, military, missionary and unmanned aerial systems in the aviation flight program, and aerospace technology, dispatch, flight operations, airport management and operations in the aviation management program.

“I look at what’s the job at the end, and then back it from there. I go to the military, the airlines, the missionary [aviation], and ask them, ‘What are you looking for?’” Marselus said regarding making program changes. “Then I ask, how can I develop a program that provides the professional aviators they seek?”

Finally, the FAA selected CBU for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative program. The program recognizes institutions that prepare students for careers in unmanned aircraft systems, known as drones. CBU offers a minor in aviation unmanned aerial systems.

The integration of drones into the national airspace system takes government, private enterprise and higher education working together, Marselus said.

“We’re now one of those institutions that is cooperating with the FAA,” Marselus said. “This is a way to get CBU in the game, and CBU becomes part of the solution.”

Marselus said all the changes and advancements allowed the department to do a culture shift with the students.

“This university has bought the students great airplanes, great simulators, and we have great flight instructors,” Marselus said. “We now have everything for them to succeed. We’re here and we’re going to help them, but I look at each of these young men and women and say, ‘It’s now up to you.’”

 

CBU students pitch entrepreneur ideas at business competition

Love for the environment led a team to win the Bob Goodrich Business Plan Competition on April 8. Sarah Rourke and Rachel Price, juniors at California Baptist University, earned $5,000 for their accomplishment.

The competition, which was held virtually, was sponsored by the Robert K. Jabs School of Business. Prizes for the competition were made possible by an anonymous donor.

The winning team designed a machine that accelerates the composting process in a 24-hour period, generating fertile soil on-site. The business—named Yarkona, which means green in Hebrew—initially would sell to universities.

Rourke said she was inspired to create Yarkona when she observed food waste at a cafeteria.

“I recognized that these food scraps can turn into something that would help the environment instead of hurting it,” she explained.

Rourke, a business administration major, grew up in Portland, Oregon, where a lot of people compost, including her family.

“Living in such an environmentally friendly city like Portland, sustainability values were instilled into me at a very young age,” Rourke said. “I grew very fond of composting and watching the food scraps turn into nutrient rich soil overtime; the idea of that always interested me.”

After winning the competition, Rourke said she has received offers to help create the prototype and to provide financial investments.

Ten student teams submitted business plans earlier in the semester. Students worked with a faculty advisor during the submission process.

Once the business plans were submitted, CBU faculty analyzed and measured their viability. The plans included an executive summary, the type of products and services the company would be selling and various marketing research metrics. Each plan was ranked by an MBA professor who ensured that all elements of a business plan were considered.

Five finalists were selected to present a business pitch to a panel of judges consisting of Nolan Gouveia, department lead for entrepreneurship; Dr. Adele Harrison, professor of finance; Dr. Marc Weniger, professor of business; Ana Lee, owner of Women in Tandem; and Methode Maniraguha, owner of Current Renewables Engineering Inc.

Gouveia said he hoped through the process the students learned about leadership, teamwork and pushing through adversity.

“To articulate a new business idea is a tough thing to do and our students exceeded expectations,” Gouveia said. “I believe this experience is exactly what college students need while in school in order to come out as a well-rounded individual as they graduate.”

Double Down Doggie Daycare, with Jenny Kottman and Seth Desena, placed second in the competition and earned $3,000. Their business provided mobile dog grooming and dog walking services.

Chad Gaines and Carissa Arguello created Good Thymes and took third as well as $2,000. Their concept of an app would connect those interested in renting their land to individuals who wish to have their own gardens.

Additionally, the anonymous donor provided $1,000 for each of the five finalists to help them launch their business ventures.

 

CBU theatre performs comedy for its spring production

The theatre program at California Baptist University is bringing comedy to audiences with its spring production of “She Stoops to Conquer.”

Instead of performing live however, the CBU cast filmed its production on March 27. It will be available for streaming on the CBU Theatre Arts’ YouTube channel by May 1.

During rehearsals, everyone wore a mask or a face shield, but those came off for filming.

“So many schools aren’t getting a chance to work in person at all. We feel very blessed in that we are,” said Ethan Park, adjunct professor of theatre and the show’s director. “We’re very specific in the precautions we take. I tell them, ‘Take care of yourself, protect the crew, the cast and each other.’”

The story by Oliver Goldsmith takes place in the late 18^th century. The play centers around the desire of Hardcastle, a wealthy landowner in the country, to marry off his daughter, Kate Hardcastle, to the well-educated Charles Marlow. A practical joke leads to mistaken identity and causes Kate to “stoop” when she pretends to be a humble barmaid to secure Marlow’s affections.

“It still takes place as if it was the late 1700s, but we have thrown in some fun surprises for the audience to update it,” Park said.

Park said the play provides laughs and a message.

“You can look at it as this funny comedy from hundreds of years ago, but it has so much to do with our true self that we put forward,” Park said. “Are we putting on this mask in front of people and not being who we are or not treating people the way we should treat them?”

Dr. Joshua Rodriguez, assistant professor of music theory and composition, wrote the musical score. Park wanted the music to unravel throughout the play, gradually becoming unmoored from the 18th century, Rodriguez said. The music starts with the classical sound of the string quartet and then slowly incorporates instruments and musical styles from other genres and time periods.

“I love storytelling and collaboration—in particular film, theater and dance—and in a year in which so many composers lost work, I’m especially grateful for the work,” Rodriguez said.

Though theatre looks different, cast members said they learned a lot from their roles and enjoyed being on stage.

Sophia Oliveri, a theatre junior who plays Mrs. Hardcastle, said the character took a lot of energy.

“Mrs. Hardcastle is a vocally demanding role. Her vocal pitch goes to the highest heights and the lowest lows,” Oliveri said. “Everything about this character is over the top. It’s what I love the most and what was most challenging. I was the first in the makeup chair and the last person out, lathered in layers upon layers of makeup, hairspray and fabric.”

Ryan Lee, a communication studies and comedic arts senior, played Charles Marlow.

“The most challenging part has probably been the British accent,” Lee said. “I wasn’t just focusing on getting the old-timey language in my head, but I was also focusing on doing the accent right.”

Alexis Parsio, a theatre freshman, said she learned about herself while portraying Kate Hardcastle.

“One challenging thing for me has definitely been stepping out in confidence — however, I’d also say, that has been one of the most fun things, too,” Parsio said.

Parsio said she hopes people watching laugh and get lost in a wacky story.

“In a time like this, it’s easy to feel alone to face everything by ourselves, but I think theatre especially can bring people together, connecting everyone watching this silly heartwarming story,” Parsio said.

Lee said the cast had to find new ways to stay motivated in rehearsals beyond that opening-night feeling.

“Energy from a crowd is not easily replicated by any means,” Lee said. “In the end, it all comes down to passion for the art and the joy that comes from telling a story, regardless of the medium.”

Oliveri said the experience made the cast and crew stronger and has proven their resilience and adaptability.

“At the end of the day, I hope the audience is proud of us for what we made for the glory of God in spite of the crazy circumstances,” Oliveri said. “So many other theatres did not have the resources or opportunity to film a mask-free stage show, and yet here is the CBU theatre department.”

 

CBU clinic provides services to hospital staff during COVID-19

When the pandemic hit last year, Psychological Services of Riverside, the California Baptist University-run community clinic, made the transition to telehealth.

The doctoral student clinicians saw the need to serve the community and thought specifically of the front-line workers and how they might benefit from therapy, said Dr. Timothy Sisemore, director of Psychological Services of Riverside.

Sisemore met with Riverside Community Hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Saba Habis, to develop a partnership program.

“The CBU clinic offered free [telehealth] sessions to the hospital staff as an act of support as they provided critical, albeit terribly stressful, services during these trying times,” Sisemore said.

A number of nurses and physicians have received services through the program, which ends June 30. Second-year students in the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program conduct the sessions. The students are supervised by licensed psychologists—mostly CBU faculty—who also provide services at the clinic.

In January, the clinic and the hospital also created a program where residents of the hospital could receive free services at the clinic, funded by grants the hospital obtains.

Dr. Gregory Guldner, program director for emergency medicine residency, said he is eager to facilitate the clinic’s services to help residents through what is already a stressful period of their careers. He has turned the program into part of a research project.

“Riverside Community Hospital has coupled with the experts at California Baptist University’s Psychological Services of Riverside to provide much needed therapy and psychological support for our heroic front-line resident physicians,” Guldner said.

Sisemore said the partnership has provided service to the medical workers and training for students.

“I think this serves the community by protecting front-line workers during COVID and allows CBU to reach out to the community that surrounds us,” Sisemore said. “It also provides excellent training opportunities for our Doctor of Psychology students. We hope also that residents who see the benefit of therapy will be more inclined to refer their patients for therapy during their careers.” 

 

CBU wins numerous awards at local advertising competition

Students, alumni and faculty at California Baptist University won nearly 30 awards including two Best of Show honors from the American Advertising Awards—Inland Empire. The awards were announced March 20.

CBU students and alumni received seven of the nine gold awarded. Anne Sowers, an illustration freshman, earned a gold and Best of Show in the student category for Illustration-Campaign for her Harry Potter posters. This is CBU’s fourth Best of Show award.

“I was super excited to win a gold and super surprised when I won Best of Show,” Sowers said. “I am so thankful for the opportunities God has provided and for my passion for art. I am also so thankful that my professor, Dirk Dallas, submitted the posters and helped encourage and critique my work throughout the process.”

Additionally, Dallas, program director of graphic design and visual experience, and Christopher Wright, assistant professor of graphic design and visual experience, both received gold in the professional categories. Dallas also earned Best of Show for Book Design for his “Eyes Over the World.”

This year was special because both the student and professional awards were presented together, Dallas said.

“This provided a great opportunity for the excellent work of our students to be not only recognized in a public forum by a professional organization but also to be showcased in front of professionals in the Inland Empire who will be looking to hire the next generation of creatives,” Dallas said. “Receiving again more awards than any other school and the top honor of Best of Show further reinforces that our talented students and professors have a special and fruitful collaborative partnership.”

Dallas’ win was his second Best of Show in five years. He said it was humbling and rewarding to earn his awards alongside his students and Wright.

“It is my hope that our students can see that their professors ‘still got it’ and that we are able to be trusted as wise mentors that they can learn from and be challenged and inspired by,” Dallas said. “It’s also a reminder that by striving for excellence not only does our work stand out and invite us into the industry’s conversation but more importantly it is the means in which we can honor and glorify the Lord.”

Local gold and Best of Show winners will advance to the district competition with a chance to move on and compete at the national level.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Joshua Knabb, associate professor of psychology, Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, Dr. Robert Pate, associate professor of psychology, and students DeAndra Edison-Riley, Alexandra Slick, Royalle Smith and Sarah Weber published an article in Spirituality in Clinical Practice (March 25, 2021). It was titled Christian Meditation for Trauma-Based Rumination.

 

 

Dr. Matthew Niermann, associate professor of architecture, has published book. It is titled The Humble Creative: Moral Vice and the Pursuit of Flourishing Creativity (Wipf and Stock, March 4, 2021).

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Nathan Iverson, assistant professor of psychology, was appointed to a four-year term to the Park and Recreation Commission for the City of Riverside. Members act in an advisory capacity to the mayor and City Council in matters pertaining to parks, recreation and parkways.

 

 

 

Dr. Robert Shields, assistant professor of computer information technology, Dr. Dirk Davis, associate vice president of academics, and Jeff Keneaster, director of academic operations, all for Online and Professional Studies, authored an article published in the Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice (March 2021). It was titled Measuring the Effectiveness of Do-It-Yourself Online Course Quality Assurance Training.

 

 

Ten CBU photography students were selected for the Communication Arts Photography Competition short list. The competition entries are judged by an internationally jury of distinguished creative directors and photographers. Of 2,328 submissions, 789 entries were short listed from which the winners were chosen. On the short list, 57 students were selected, 10 being from CBU.

 

 

The Department of Arts and Letters held its inaugural symposium on March 20. The symposium was held virtually and included live synchronous presentations and speakers as well as an asynchronous gallery of student performances. The symposium included traditional academic research papers, creative readings and performances given by undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty members. The keynote speaker was Dr. Byron Spradlin, president of Artists in Christian Testimony Intl.

 

The Creative Writing program held a virtual creative writing workshop for high school students on March 23. High school students connected with CBU faculty and students, practiced various writing and editing techniques, and learned more about creative writing strategies. Workshop sessions were led by faculty Dr. Erika J. Travis, associate professor of English and behavioral sciences, Dr. Berniece Alspach, associate professor of English, Jennifer Tronti, assistant professor of English, and students Harmony Taetz and Trevor Vals.

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, and Dr. Victoria Brodie, assistant professor of public relations, presented a workshop to a leadership group in Rancho Cucamonga on April 1. Their topic was Emotional Intelligence and the Adversity Quotient. They spoke on behalf of the Dr. Paul and Annie Kienel Leadership Institute.

 

 

 

Dr. Amy Nantkes, adjunct professor of history and government for Online and Professional Studies, successfully defended her dissertation on April 5. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in political science from Claremont Graduate University. Her dissertation was titled Elite Rhetoric, Target Group Positioning, and Policymaking: Immigrant Women and Project 100% in San Diego County.

 

 

 

Dr. Bruce Prins, professor of biology, was appointed to a two-year term as a commissioner to the Parks, Trails & Community Services for the City of Calimesa. The commission is responsible for recommending policies and procedures to the City Council for the operation, development, and maintenance of parks, trails, recreation facilities, and park and recreation programs.

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, was selected to serve a three-year term on the editorial board for Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, the quarterly peer-reviewed publication of the American Scientific Affiliation.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Thomas Schneider, associate professor of English, had an article published in a peer-reviewed journal, Arthuriana (Volume 30, No. 4). It was titled Malory’s “Fyne Force”’: Motion in Le Morte Darthur.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, published an article with two students, Jaimee Stutz-Johnson and Roy Sorbel. The article was published in the journal Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (March 22, 2021) and titled Black–white Biracial Christians, Discrimination, and Mental Health: A moderated mediation model of church support and religious coping. Vazquez and the students also presented the research at the Christian Association for Psychological Studies conference on March 26.

 

 

Cindy Sendor, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, presented at the California Speech and Hearing Association’s Convergence 2021 Conference on March 14. The presentation was titled Assessment of Learning in Higher Education.

 

 

 

Robyn Glessner, adjunct professor of history, wrote assessment material for the U.S. History textbook (OpenStax). Glessner wrote assessment material for two chapters covering early American history—Early Globalization: The Atlantic World, 1492-1650 and Creating New Social Orders: Colonial Societies, 1500-1700.

 

 

 

Dr. Jong-Wha Bai, professor of civil engineering, co-presented a poster virtually at the 2021 EERI Annual Meeting in March 24. It was titled Seismic Fragility Assessment of Building Structures through Probabilistic Inference of Bayesian Network.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Dennis K. Bideshi, professor of biology, co-authored a chapter in the Encyclopedia of Virology (4th Edition, Academic Press) It was titled Ascoviruses (Ascoviridae).

 

 

 

 

Master in Social Work students gathered donations and assembled 40 Easter baskets for Olive Crest, which cares for abused and neglected children. The students delivered the baskets for children ages newborn to 18 on March 27. The students, who are part of Love Thy Neighborhood student group, partnered with CBU’s Recreation department to help assemble and deliver the baskets.

 

Lisa Singer, associate director of employer relations in the Career Center, spoke at the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce Business in Action meeting on March 17. She presented on Employers Return on Investment and the Call to Action to provide Internships to current College students.

 

 

 

Dr. Debra Coleman, associate professor of nursing, spoke at the International Conference on Mental and Behavioral Health on March 23-24. The title of her presentation was The Lived Experience of Bedside Nurses During Transition.

 

 

 

 

Rhonda Moll, associate registrar for Online and Professional Studies, and Rich Simpson, university registrar, presented at the virtual annual meeting for the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers on March 30. The presentation was titled Serving Online Students – A Unique Approach.

 

 

 

The Natural and Mathematical Sciences Division held its annual NMS Research Symposium on March 27. Approximately 70 students presented research during the virtual event. The keynote speaker was Dr. Stephen Meyer, the director and senior fellow at the Center for Science & Culture at the Discovery Institute in Seattle.

 

 

University Advancement reports a recent planned gift commitment of $5,300,000. This legacy gift from an anonymous donor is one of the largest estate gift commitments that CBU has ever received. When realized, the donor intends the gift to provide scholarships for students majoring in business in the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business. This planned gift will fund an endowment, ensuring that scholarships will continue in perpetuity. Donors who commit to a planned gift are invited to join CBU’s Palm Drive Legacy Society, which recognizes alumni and friends who have invested in the university’s future through a gift from their will, trust, annuity, life insurance or an IRA. CBU is profoundly grateful for this remarkably generous gift that will help the university carry out its mission far into the future.

 

Dr. Mark Kling, associate professor of criminal justice, and Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, associate professor of public administration, both for Online and Professional Studies, presented a research paper at the American Society for Public Administration Conference on April 9. The title of the paper was The Impact of Changing Cultural Norms on Law Enforcement Practices: An International Perspective. Additionally, Sundstrom moderated a panel, International Perspectives on Shared Learning in Action.

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

 

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Students earn top honors at California College Media awards

Students from the Lancer Media Group at California Baptist University received 17 awards from the California College Media Association on March 20.

The accolades included seven first-place honors for Best Magazine Photo, Best Magazine Cover, Best Print Magazine, Best Non-News Video, Best Photo Series, Best Breaking News Story and Best Newspaper.

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, interim director of the journalism and new media and public relations programs, said she and Sonya Singh, assistant director of student publications, were proud of the students who produced quality work during 2020.

“We thank God for the opportunity to work with this team,” Pearson said. “They were able to adapt to the restrictions we all experienced as they continued to strive to achieve excellence. The 17 awards represent hard work, dedication and superb skills.”

To see all the winners from the Lancer Media Group, visit the California College Media Association website.

 

CBU photography students benefit from program relocation

The photography program at California Baptist University has relocated to Adams Business Park, at the corner of Adams Street and Lincoln Avenue.

CBU’s photography program started with a classroom in the James Building. It then expanded to a unit of warehouse space at Adams Business Park. That split the resources and people between the two locations and caused a disconnect in the program, said Christopher Kern, program lead of photography. Now everything can be found in adjoining warehouse units, B25 and B26.

“It consolidates those resources and assets and creates a destination and mimics what is happening out in the industry,” Kern said.

One unit is set up as a classroom, which includes a film scanner, 23 iMacs and 10 printers. Previously, the program had three printers. The additional printers will prevent a bottleneck when students need to print photos, Kern said.

The other unit is set up for studio photography. It also includes an equipment room where students can check out cameras, lights and more. The bathroom has been converted into a darkroom, CBU’s first. Kern said film processing may be added to upper division curriculum.

“Film is still being shot and developed, and it takes an institution like ours to keep it alive because there aren’t too many opportunities for people to practice this,” Kern said. “Everything we do in digital, even the terminology, is based on what we do in the darkroom.”

Trevor Blount, a graphic design and visual experience junior, said he appreciates having the resources in one location. He also developed film for the first time in the darkroom.

“I feel like everyone should try the darkroom. The process of shooting film is a lot different. It’s a lot more intentional with the way you shoot things,” Blount said. “With film you only get about 36 shots on roll. When I do that, I have to really think about every shot.”

Kern wants to add a third unit that would be dedicated for a gallery. The space also could be used as a classroom and a bigger darkroom.

“I want to create a destination for our students, but also for the community,” Kern said. “When we are able to do events again, we can put work on the walls and invite the photographic community, CBU community and the general public.”

Camille Grochowski, a sophomore double majoring in photography and journalism and new media, said she likes the extra space and printers. More people can work at the same time, and she can get her work done faster.

“I’m looking forward to just being able to create work and being able to have a place and the equipment to do it,” Grochowski said.

 

CBU plans in-person spring commencement

California Baptist University plans to hold in-person commencement ceremonies this spring to honor the graduating Class of 2021, university officials announced today.

In addition, graduates honored last December in a virtual commencement will be invited to take part in live ceremonies planned especially for the Class of 2020.

The announcement comes as coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline. At the same time, COVID-19 vaccinations are increasing and projected to become more widely available before summer.

University officials said the plan to celebrate commencement in person is a welcome change from last year when public gathering restrictions due to COVID-19 shut down spring, summer and fall ceremonies at CBU.

With restrictions now being eased, the university plans to hold at least nine modified spring commencement ceremonies in the CBU Events Center. Approximately 200 graduates will take part in each ceremony with each graduate receiving four guest tickets.

For the Class of 2021, ceremonies will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. daily from Monday, May 3 through Thursday, May 6.

In-person ceremonies for the Class of 2020 are planned for Friday, May 7 at times yet to be decided.

CBU officials cautioned that plans are subject to change based on COVID-19 restrictions.

More information will be posted at www.calbaptist.edu/commencement as plans develop.

 

CBU theatre students learn about faith integration

At California Baptist University, every theatre major, minor and scholarship student can be found participating in community time on Tuesday nights.

Community time is a unique, and mandatory, feature of the theatre program, said Frank Mihelich, associate professor of theatre and community time advisor. It teaches students how to integrate faith into theatre.

“It’s important because the students have been encouraged by the mainstream culture to silo everything. Math is over there, theatre is over here and humanities is over here and none of these things mix,” Mihelich said. “You want to be an actor or a director or a mathematician or a lawyer? Great. How does your faith influence that?”

Community time is also student-led.

“I get to encourage my friends in the theatre community as they pursue being disciples of Christ,” said Sophia Oliveri, a theatre junior and one of the co-organizers. “It is my job to cultivate an environment for artists to commune with other artists as they pursue Christ and find what it means to integrate their art with their faith.”

Tuesday evenings include worship and Bible study. During the pandemic, the theatre department kept community time going. The worship team performed in Wallace Theatre while the rest of the students joined via Zoom. In years past, the group has read books on faith integration and art. This year, the students are studying “Celebration of Discipline” by Richard Foster.

Along with the spiritual aspect, community time includes recreation and outreach. During a normal year, recreation means going to a movie or a play or celebrating a holiday together. For outreach, they may serve dinner at a homeless shelter or make dinner at Operation Safehouse. Additionally, Mihelich brings in guest speakers, such as CBU professors, Christian playwrights or directors.

Oliveri and Brianne Jackson, a theatre sophomore, are the student co-organizers of community time. They create weekly content and oversee the logistics and the teams of student leaders for areas such as worship, prayer and small group discussion.

Jackson, who started in the role this semester, is learning organizational skills and time management.

“Being a leader, it allows me to really dig deep into the Bible to see what His word says about specific topics,” Jackson said. “It helps our community because it helps us to remember that God is at the center of everything that we do. We get to worship Him with the gifts that He has given us.”

Oliveri said the experience has taught her that being a leader is not about being perfect. Community time also helps her and the other students grow in their faith, she said.

“We’re asking ourselves, ‘What does it mean to make and cultivate art from a place wholly grounded in Christ?’” Oliveri said. “For those who have yet to commit their lives to Christ, it’s encouraging to hear them willing to participate in conversations about faith in a safe place.”

Mihelich said other universities have contacted him about community time and how to implement it.

“The hope is that we can become a model for other schools,” Mihelich said. “There are a lot of faith-based theatre programs that are starting faith integration. Our program was built on that.”

 

Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering gets new dean

Dr. Phil van Haaster has been named dean of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering at California Baptist University. He will start his new position on July 1.

Van Haaster currently is assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and department chair for aerospace, industrial and mechanical engineering at CBU.

“We are excited to have Dr. van Haaster provide strong leadership continuity for the College of Engineering as he moves into this key role as dean,” said Dr. Chuck Sands, CBU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “His teaching and administrative experience as well as practical achievements in engineering research combine to provide a solid foundation for his new position.”

Van Haaster received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California; a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles; and a Doctor of Business Administration from California Baptist University.

He has taught courses in statics, documentation and design, manufacturing process, and mechanics of materials. Additionally, since 2001, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has awarded van Haaster patents for nearly a dozen inventions.

Van Haaster succeeds Dr. Anthony Donaldson, founding dean of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering. Donaldson, who began at CBU in 2006, will remain on the College of Engineering faculty as a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department.

 

CBU student wins MVP award in construction competition

Brandon Wagoner, a California Baptist University senior, received the MVP award at an Associated Schools of Construction competition held virtually last month.

Wagoner, a construction management major, received the award for his role in the group presentation. He oversaw the cost estimates.

“Our presentation is the only time we really get to interact with the judges, so that’s what the award was based on,” Wagoner said. “A key part of it is thinking on your feet and how you present the material to them.”

The team competed in the preconstruction category and their assignment was to develop a proposal to build a powerhouse building located on a dam. The first phase of the project included the proposal, cost estimates and a time schedule. The second phase had them winning the bid and making changes requested by the judges. The final part was the 30-minute presentation followed by questions from the judges.

Dr. Jay Lee, director of construction management at CBU and faculty advisor for the team, said it was the outstanding teamwork that helped set Wagoner apart.

“We’re proud of all of them, especially Brandon with his MVP award. It’s a big honor for him,” Lee said. “Even though it’s an individual award, the team’s work overall certainly helped him stand out.”

Wagoner said he was honored and humbled to receive the award but would have rather placed as a team.

“It was surprising to be honest, and I would have rather placed as a team because of all the hours we put into the project,” Wagoner said. “It was still cool and a validation of the work that I did do.”

Johnathan Toews, a construction management senior and team captain, said although the team did not place, it was a great experience and the whole team was proud of Wagoner for the award.

“Everything Brandon did he put a lot of work into and did quite well. I believe that showed to the judges,” Toews said. “I’m quite proud that someone from our team won the award, and he was very deserving of it.”

 

Aviation flight instructor using skills to serve others

Jason Rearick’s world revolves around the air. He is a major in the U.S. Air Force. He also is a flight instructor I, on call at California Baptist University. And he volunteers with Mission Flight.

When Rearick went to get his multi-engine certification in 2019, he and the examiner talked about their faith. The examiner encouraged Rearick to get involved in Mission Flight, a nonprofit group that flies medical workers and supplies to Mexico. Rearick said he was reluctant to get involved at first.

“The Holy Spirit was tugging at my heart, saying you need to step out in faith,” Rearick said. “I did my research and then I went on my first mission trip. I was just in love ever since then. I get to do service for the Lord and I get to bless other people.”

Rearick serves as pilot and pilot coordinator for Mission Flight, which flies out of Redlands and El Monte airports. He flies down about once a month, mainly to Tepic or San Quintin, where a team of medical workers sets up free medical and dental clinics for locals who have limited access to medical care. He is also the founder and director of Mission Flight Academy, a nonprofit, faith-based flight school and flying club that partners with Mission Flight.

The academy brings supplies and allows pilots who need flying hours to do something with a purpose, Rearick said. Pilots and volunteers are always needed, he added.

“When you’re doing something like this, it’s so rewarding because you get to use a talent and you get to be part of kingdom building,” he said.

Occasionally they cannot get the supplies off the plane because of customs, Rearick said.

“Customs requires a lot of prayer,” Rearick said. “We pray and let God work it out. If it doesn’t work out, we try to figure out why. I would rather it not work out on a supply run than with medical workers.”

When Rearick is not flying for Mission Flight, he is stationed at March Air Reserve Base, working in cyber defense for weapon systems. Rearick has been a part of the Air Force since he was 18.

Additionally, in 2020, Rearick became a flight instructor in CBU’s Department of Aviation Science. Rearick tries to impart to his students the experience of backcountry flying.

“I would like students to have to lean heavily on their training,” Rearick said. “In Mexico, there are no weather stations, very limited navigation devices and little radio communications. We are on our own. We must think ahead and plan worst case all the time.”

Rearick wants to use his talents for God and encourages his students to do the same.

“I don’t need to be the quarterback. I will be the water boy. I just want to be in the game. I want other people to feel that, too,” Rearick said. “There is a role for everybody. No special talent needed. Just heart.”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Raquel Ellis, assistant professor of social work, recently completed training to become a certified site visitor for the Council on Social Work Education, the accrediting body of social work education programs.

 

 

 

 

Laura Walker, flight instructor II, Kyle Higginson, flight instructor II, and Tyler Powell, flight instructor II, recently received their gold seal from the Federal Aviation Administration. This is awarded to flight instructors who trained and recommended at least 10 applicants for certificates and ratings in a 24-month period with at least 80% pass rate on their first attempt.

 

 

Dr. Jonathan Parker, professor of education, was appointed to a four-year term to the Planning Commission for the City of Riverside. The Planning Commission acts in an advisory capacity to the mayor and City Council on proposed changes to the general plan, makes recommendations on proposed zoning and land use, and exercises control over proposed subdivision and development applications.

 

 

 

Dr. Susan Drummond, professor of nursing, co-facilitated the inaugural virtual Competency Based Training for Suicide Prevention for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association on March 6. Participants received a three-year certificate recognizing competency in suicide prevention.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Trevor Gillum, professor of kinesiology, and Andrew Greenfield (’19) published Greenfield’s thesis data in the Journal of Thermal Biology on March 5. It was titled Short-term hot water immersion results in substantial thermal strain and partial heat acclimation; comparisons with heat- exercise exposures.

 

 

 

Dr. Carol A. Minton-Ryan, professor of sociology, Dr. Ana Gamez, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Julie Goodman-Bowling, associate professor of anthropology, published research in the International Journal of Social Policy and Education (Vol. 2, No. 9). It was titled was The Impact of Trauma-Informed Educational Support Groups on Increasing Self-Efficacy: Standing Together for Health in Malawi.

 

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, presented a lecture to the Public Relations Society of America, Orange County Chapter on March 8. The topic was Applying Ethics and Law to the Field of Public Relations.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, associate professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, was a panelist for the Latino Coalition of Los Angeles Covid Vaccine Panel on March 3. The panel addressed Latino communities’ concerns about the newly developed COVID vaccines.

 

 

 

 

CBU’s Department of Aviation Science received an award for training excellence from the American Association of Airport Executives. It was given in recognition of the training that the aviation management students have conducted on the association’s online industry training platform.

 

 

Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, associate professor of public administration, and Dr. Mark Kling, associate professor of criminal justice, both for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in the PA Times on March 17.  It was titled Prosecutorial Discretion vs Directive: Impacts on Policy & Policing.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Gretchen Bartels, associate professor of English for Online and Professional Studies, and her husband, Kevin Ray, welcomed a daughter on March 4. Ruby Amelia Ray weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces and measured 18 inches.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU women’s basketball featured by Sports Illustrated

Sports Illustrated released an article featuring the California Baptist University women’s basketball team and its incredible 2020-21 season on March 3. The Lancers undefeated record (20-0) continues as the season draws near to an end.

The article looks at how the Lancers are not eligible to play in the 2021 NCAA tournament because of their ongoing transition to Division 1, but they can still join a distinctive club. With a 20-0 start to the season, the Lancers are one of only seven teams to start a season 20-0 or better since 2016.

CBU will close out the regular season with a trip to Seattle University to play the Redhawks on March 5-6.

 

 

CBU to celebrate 2021 homecoming with virtual celebration

California Baptist University will celebrate homecoming on March 5-6. Traditionally, homecoming is a time for the Lancer family to return to campus for fun and reconnection. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CBU will host a virtual celebration.

Alumni, students, parents and families are invited to participate in a weekend full of activities from the comfort of home.

“We are deeply saddened that we cannot welcome our alumni, parents and families back to campus to celebrate this year. However, we hope the Lancer family will make plans to celebrate with us through the virtual activities we have planned,” said Joshua Moss, senior director of alumni, parent and donor engagement. “While we believe this weekend will create opportunities for Lancers of all eras to connect, we look forward to next year when we can all be back together on campus.”

The planned virtual activities include the following:

On March 5, CBU Alumni & Parent Relations will share a video highlighting CBU through the decades. Other video slideshows will showcase the classes of 1971, 1996 and 2011 in honor of their 50-, 25- and 10-year reunions. These will be posted on the University Advancement YouTube channel.

The CBU men’s basketball team will take the court against Seattle University on March 5-6. Games start at 6 p.m. both days. The Lancer Nation is encouraged to livestream the game and cheer on the Lancers from home.

Lancers also can follow @alumnicbu on Instagram and Facebook and participate in fun activities on social media — including a pet rally and a photo collage challenge — with chances to win prizes all weekend.

An online store will have available for purchase Homecoming Spirit Packs with specialty Lancer merchandise.

Direct links to all homecoming 2021 content can be found at ua.calbaptist.edu/homecoming. Alumni and friends can email alumni@calbaptist.edu or call 951-343-4439 with any questions.

 

Lancers pull off perfect sweep at WAC Championships

California Baptist University cross country pulled off the perfect sweep at the Western Athletic Conference Championships on Feb. 27 in Seattle. The Lancers won both team and individual titles, a feat that had only been accomplished one other time, and produced a total of 14 all-conference finishers.

The women secured the three-peat, as they remain undefeated in their three years in the WAC with 26 points. Anna Mate led the way with a championship run in 20 minutes, 53.20 seconds in the 6,000-meter race.

CBU’s men won its first conference title in the WAC as a team and an individual, with 23 points as a group. Giedrius Valincius won the first men’s individual WAC title with a time of 24:28.40 on the 8K course.

Adam Tribble reaped Coach of the Year honors on both sides for the Lancers. Mate and Valincius were both named the WAC Athletes of the Year, while Greta Karinauskaite was crowned the Freshman of the Year after a third-place finish for the women.

Read the full story here.

 

CBU names new dean for Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business

Dr. Tim Gramling has been named dean of the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business at California Baptist University. He will start his new position on April 1.

Gramling brings extensive experience in business, higher education and ministry to his new post. Since 2018, he has served as Executive Director at UEI College in Gardena, overseeing career diploma programs and externship assignments for allied health students at medical offices and health systems in Los Angeles County.

Previously, Gramling served as president of Colorado campuses at Colorado Technical University; president of Brooks Institute in Ventura; senior director of finance for DeVry University in Miramar, Florida; and held management positions with American Express and Sprint in Florida.

Gramling also has served as associate minister or senior pastor at churches in several states since 2003. In July 2018, he began serving as pastor of Olivet Baptist Church in Ventura.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Gramling join the CBU team in the significant role as dean of the Jabs School of Business,” said Dr. Chuck Sands, CBU provost and vice president for academic affairs. “His leadership experience and his background as a Southern Baptist pastor are an excellent fit and we look forward to having him join us.”

Gramling earned a Doctor of Law and Policy degree from Northeastern University in Boston. He also holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Harvard University.

Gramling succeeds Dr. Andrea Scott, who became provost at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, in July 2020.

 

CBU nursing students help administer COVID-19 vaccines

Nursing students from California Baptist University are assisting at COVID-19 vaccination clinics, helping to administer the injections.

To date, 70 students have helped at Parkview Community Hospital, Riverside Medical Clinic, Corona Regional Medical Center and Redlands Community Hospital.

“The College of Nursing is resolved to be part of the solution,” said Dr. Karen Bradley, dean of the College of Nursing. “We’re reaching out to student nurses for volunteers, and faculty have been volunteering. We’re always engaged in the community but we definitely feel like now, we can help.”

In her previous clinicals, Nikizen Boco, a nursing junior, heard patients tell stories of losing a loved one to COVID-19. Additionally, she had potential exposure to the disease outside of school. Those reasons led her to want to give the vaccine.

“I feel anxious but prepared. I would rather be trained and experience the worst [now] in order to better know how to properly treat my patients in the future,” Boco said, referring to becoming a nurse.

Ashleigh Beaty, a nursing junior, helped give vaccines at Parkview Community Hospital in Riverside. She was a bit nervous about giving the shots, but this was mostly due to the possibility of being watched by, and even giving the vaccine to, seasoned healthcare professionals.

“I wanted to help with administering vaccines because it was an opportunity to practice and an opportunity to witness a small aspect of history being made in the medical field,” Beaty said.

Andrea Sleigh, a nursing senior, administered about 35 shots during her three-hour shift.

“I feel honored to be a part of the healthcare team, especially because of what is going on in the world right now,” Sleigh said. “It is a scary time to be a nurse, but nurses are very adaptive, and we are committed to helping others, so I am happy to be of help.”

Bradley, who has also assisted at the vaccination clinics, said she saw the joy and relief on the people’s faces as they received the vaccine.

“I think that’s a good learning opportunity for the students to witness that level of public health and health promotion,” Bradley said. “In the students, you see a spirit of encouragement and hope and being part of the solution. They want to do this.”

 

CBU architecture students win top spots in design awards

Two architecture students from California Baptist University placed in the top two spots in the Student Design Awards held by the Coalition for Adequate School Housing.

Andriani Sugianto received first place and a $2,500 scholarship. Mady Bellanca placed second and received a $1,500 scholarship.

The students developed their entries as the main project in Design Studio V (ARC 410), said Caleb Walder, associate professor of architecture. In the course, the students designed proposals for a hypothetical elementary school near Fairmount Park in Riverside. The designs included ideas about the future of elementary education and explored ways to reduce the negative environmental impacts of architecture. Throughout the course, the students presented their projects to local architects who specialize in K-12 school design, Walder said.

Sugianto’s school design featured enhanced learning environments and high standards of sustainability.

“I explored a variety of ideas deriving from my interpretation of the necessities of primary education,” said Sugianto, an architecture senior. “The design process was a challenging yet effective means to generate ideas for this project. It takes diligence, perseverance, iteration and a willingness to fail.”

Sugianto said she was grateful for receiving first place.

“The Lord has rewarded my dedication to this project and desire to glorify His name through it,” Sugianto said.

Bellanca, an architecture senior, said placing in the competition was a shock.

“Being able to come from a university that goes about design from a Christian perspective of design to showcase God’s work is a testament of how God is moving. I am honored to be a part of it,” Bellanca said.

Bellanca became interested in contemporary school design after being a Riverside middle school tutor and working in a portable classroom.

“That is when I started researching how to develop and design an efficient learning environment,” Bellanca said. “From the previous research that was done, I was able to start this project with a good idea of what an effective school should look and feel like. Many of my ideas came from my previous knowledge, but I also looked at what was and was not working in schools that are functioning now to learn from their successes and mistakes to further my design approach.”

This was the first time CBU students entered the competition, Walder said. The projects are judged by professional architects with experience in school design. As winners of the competition, the students and the CBU architecture program will be featured at the coalition’s annual conference this summer.

“Although the CBU architecture program is the most recently established program in Southern California, it was good to see the work of CBU students judged favorably against work from other programs,” Walder said. 

 

Alumnus receives cancer research fellowship

The journey for Gabriel Muhire Gihana (’13) took him from Rwanda to California Baptist University then Indiana University for further study. He is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Gihana recently received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. The four-year award encourages young scientists to pursue careers in cancer research by providing each one $231,000 to work on innovative projects.

“This fellowship means that people believe in the significance of my research plan, which of course, strengthens my confidence,” Gihana said. “This fellowship is yet another blessing from God as He continues to lead my way. It is also a testimony to the great support that I have had throughout my academic training from Rwanda to CBU and Indiana University and now at UT Southwestern Medical Center.”

Throughout his research journey, Gihana has been fascinated by cells. In 2012, he did an internship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a researcher who studies cancer cell metabolism.

“Cancer is a devastating disease that affects many dimensions of human life, a disease that is also often difficult to treat. Cancer is fundamentally a cell disease,” Gihana said.

Cancer occurs when cells divide uncontrollably, Gihana said. It is known that some cancer cells can adopt a different morphology, but it is not known if and how this change in morphology affects cancer development, Gihana said. His research looks at how cellular morphology affects molecular signaling in cancer cells.

“We still have a long way to go to significantly decrease cancer-related deaths. The decrease will require bold and innovative research,” Gihana said. “In the future, I would love to expand my research program and engage in teaching so I can pass the torch on to younger people.”

Gihana came to CBU on a scholarship from a partnership between the government of Rwanda and CBU. He studied biochemistry and molecular biology. He had friends who helped him integrate culturally—they taught him how to drive and about American football.

“From them I learned much about the rich American culture. I was a growing young man when I came to CBU, and the interactions I had with friends from CBU have contributed to who I am today as a person,” Gihana said.

He also grew in his faith.

“At CBU, God’s mission and love take the center, and that is unique for a university,” Gihana said. “At CBU, I had a spiritually rich experience, which not only strengthened my faith but also helped me equilibrate my discipline as a student.”

Gihana said CBU professors inspired him to pursue his passion no matter how challenging.

“I had very caring professors who went above and beyond not only in teaching me but also in supporting me in and outside the classroom,” Gihana said. “I owe my CBU professors a great deal of who I am as a researcher today. They instilled in me critical thinking skills that are necessary for scientific inquiry.”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Mark Kling, associate professor of criminal justice, and Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, associate professor of public administration, both for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in the PA Times (Feb. 17, 2021). The title was Police Response to Homelessness: A Partnership for Comprehensive Compassion.

 

 

 

Nursing students volunteered at a community Health Fair at Corona Regional Medical Center on Feb. 19. The students partnered with the center’s staff members to provide cardiovascular health screening and education. The students checked blood pressure, blood sugar and educated the community on hands-only CPR.

 

 

Dr. Mark Moland, adjunct professor of public administration for Online and Professional Studies, was recently honored as a co-recipient of the Center for Public Justice’s Hatfield Prize. Pairs of students and faculty conduct research on social policies that impact vulnerable children, families, and communities, and explore the impact of these policies in their local communities.

 

 

 

Matt Irving, adjunct professor of information technology, is CEO and co-founder of SystemGo IT. It was recently named Small Business of the Year from the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Amanie Abdelmessih, professor of mechanical engineering, served as a reviewer/evaluator for the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Fellowships. The fellowships are awarded to outstanding graduate students and undergraduate students from throughout the country.

 

 

 

 

Stefani Plummer, administrative assistant to the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, was awarded the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Region VI Award of Merit at the virtual NIRSA National Conference on Feb. 22. Additionally, she presented at the NIRSA Emerging Rec Sports Leader Conference (virtual) on Feb. 19. The title of her presentation was Reconstruction…a Timeline for Black Collegiate Recreation Professional’s History—March 2020-present.

 

 

Jason Cade, adjunct professor of accounting for Online and Professional Studies, passed the exam to become a Certified Sarbanes Oxley Expert (CSOE). The CSOE credential is an attestation to the knowledge of the Sarbanes Oxley Act controls and testing for publicly traded companies.

 

 

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Dr. Jennifer Costello, assistant professor of social work, and Dr. Antonio Mejico Jr., assistant professor of social work, published a paper in the journal of Social Work & Christianity (Spring 2021). It was titled The Legacy Project: Students Serving Hispanic Older Adults.

 

 

 

Brenda Flores, associate director – business administration for Facilities and Planning Services, participated virtually in a Q&A panel at the annual Marsden Leadership Summit 2021 on Feb. 25. CBU was one of four Marsden customers selected in the nation to present, provide information and share experiences with regard to topics such as employee safety, customer service, leadership practices and building partnerships.

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, associate professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, was a panelist during a myCovidMD webinar on Feb. 14. The panel, Ask the Experts: Vaccination, focused on concerns of everyday people about the rapid rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines and steps involved in the development of the vaccines.

 

 

 

 

Laura Zyonse, adjunct professor of education for Online and Professional Studies, and her husband, Tim, welcomed a son on Feb. 3. Beckham Zyonse weighed 5 pounds, 14 ounces and measured 19 inches.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU nursing students fit tested for N95 masks

The College of Nursing at California Baptist University fitted nearly 575 nursing students with the N95 masks earlier this semester.

“The fitting represents another layer of safety and protection as the students continue in their clinicals,” said Dr. Karen Bradley, dean of the College of Nursing.

The N95 mask is designed to achieve a close facial fit and has an efficient filtration that keeps out airborne particles. Earlier in the pandemic, the N95 was in short supply.

“The mask fits differently,” said Dr. Teresa Hamilton, associate professor of nursing. “They are super tight. You have to be fit tested in order to ensure a good seal. If any air escapes in, then it’s not protecting you.”

Students will have the mask if their clinical rotations bring them into possible contact with COVID-19 patients. Since the pandemic started, the students’ clinical sites and/or the College of Nursing have provided students with personal protective equipment as needed.

Nikizen Boco, a nursing junior, wears the N95 when she goes to a clinical at a hospital. She said she appreciated the fitting.

“It helps us know how masks are supposed to fit properly rather than just slapping it on our face and hoping it works,” Boco said.

Twenty-three CBU faculty were trained to do the fitting by medical professionals from the Riverside Medical Clinic. They, in turn, fitted other faculty and the students.

Recently, Hamilton and Melissa Anozie, assistant professor of nursing, fitted first-semester nursing students. To test the fit, Anozie sprayed a sweet-scented spray into a hood the student wears at the same time they are wearing the mask.

“If at any time you sense it, smell it, taste it, let me know,” Anozie instructed. Each time she sprayed into the hood, Anozie would ask the student to bend over, turn her head or talk.

This is like “introduction to nursing by fire,” Anozie said.

Hamilton, who has been a nurse for 30 years, has dealt with the scares of HIV and Ebola.

“But there’s been nothing like this,” Hamilton said. “The students are seeing what we have all been preparing for.”

Julia Keplar, a nursing sophomore, said she was both nervous and excited to go into nursing during this time.

“Fitting the mask was a different experience. It’s cool to know you’re prepared if you need to be,” Keplar said. “It’s a very good learning experience to start now and get experience when things aren’t normal.”

Tatum Romberger, a nursing sophomore, said the fitting will help her feel protected if she is exposed. She is following the footsteps of her father, who was a nurse.

“I’m excited to start my studies. I know there is a lot going on,” Romberger said. “It’s just exciting to think I’ll be prepared to go help.”

Bradley said the nursing faculty are trying to navigate the pandemic as they support the students and the community.

“It’s definitely an interesting time to be going into the profession,” Bradley said. “The students are getting to experience something that we often talk about in the literature but we’ve never seen in real life.”

 

Wrestling program conditionally accepted into Big 12

California Baptist University wrestling has received a letter of intent from the Big 12 Conference regarding affiliate membership starting in 2022-23.

The Big 12 is currently home to Air Force, Fresno State, Iowa State, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, South Dakota State, Utah Valley, West Virginia and Wyoming. The Lancers would give the conference 12 teams in 2022-23, as Fresno State is set to discontinue its program at the end of this season.

“California Baptist University and Lancers Wrestling are looking forward to our future membership with the Big 12,” said Ron Prettyman, CBU interim director of Athletics. “As one of the premiere athletic conferences in the country, the Big 12 brings a long history of success in the sport of wrestling. We are looking forward to our new friendships and rivalries in the Big 12 as we continue to build our wrestling program into a nationally recognized competitor.”

The approval of CBU to join the Big 12 is conditioned on the program’s successful completion of its NCAA Division I four-year reclassification process. The Lancers are in the midst of the third year of the transition period with an anticipated final approval in July 2022.

“It is a great privilege to be conditionally accepted into the Big 12 Conference,” said Lennie Zalesky, head wrestling coach. “Today, the Big 12 is competitive with the best in the nation, and the conference has some of the best wrestlers and teams in the nation. We look forward to the challenge of competing with these teams.”

Read the full story here.

 

Lecturer tells students to be aware of their moods and thoughts

Emotions come and go and are temporary even if they feel permanent, Dr. Joelle Hood told a group of California Baptist University students at the virtual Culture and Justice Lecture Series on Jan. 28.

Hood, the founder and chief empowerment officer of Thriving YOUniversity, which offers mindfulness, emotional intelligence and well-being workshops, presented a lecture aimed at being self-aware of one’s mood.

“What we need to remember about our emotions is that you are not them,” Hood said. “If you think about this, the word ‘emotion’ has the word ‘motion’ in it. They are moving through us. This may sound silly but language matters.”

When someone says he or she is sad, that is not accurate and sends the person the wrong message, she said.

“Changing that to ‘I feel sad’ or ‘I feel angry’ reminds us that it’s a temporary thing,” Hood added.

Hood reminded students that they control the emotional temperature of the room they are in because moods can be contagious. She added that students should be intentional in their impact.

“Our emotions are contagious, and if we think about how they’re rippling out to everyone around us — our friends, family and our fellow students — wouldn’t we want to be more intentional about how we show up?” she said.

Stress is unavoidable but how students respond to the stress is important in maintaining control over the mind and body, Hood said.

Mindfulness — being self-aware by paying attention in the present moment without judgment or criticism — is also important, she said. She encouraged the students to interrupt and challenge negative thoughts.

“We like to ruminate about the past [and] worry about the future, so we have a hard time being in the moment right now,” Hood said. “Keep in mind that you are the DJ of your own mind. You get to choose your [thoughts].”

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences hosts the Culture and Justice Lecture Series. The next lecture will feature Toni Wilson, a special education teacher for the Moreno Valley Unified School District, virtually on Feb. 18.

 

Magnolia Crossing receives Riverside beautification award

California Baptist University won third place for Magnolia Crossing at the Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful’s 35th annual Beautification Awards. The awards were announced during the mayor’s State of the City Address held virtually on Jan. 28.

The category for Magnolia Crossing was New Construction with Landscaping.

The Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful program is sponsored by the City of Riverside and the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce. Its mission is to foster a sense of community pride by creating partnerships that work toward the beautification of the city.

The university broke ground on the residence complex in March 2019 and it took 18 months to complete. Located on the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Monroe Street, the housing officially opened for upperclassman students for the fall 2020 semester. It features 93 suites that can house up to 540 students, a grab-and-go dining option, and TVs and seating in the lobby.

The architectural design complements the contemporary Mission Revival style that defines CBU campus architecture. Additionally, landscaping features drought-resistant plants around the exterior of the building as well as on the rooftop outdoor space.

CBU has received recognition in the past, including the Mayor’s Award last year for the new entrance located off Adams Street. The Dennis and Carol Troesh Engineering Building placed first in 2019 for New Construction with Landscaping and the Events­­­­­­ Center received the Mayor’s Award in 2018.

 

Faith & Enterprise lecturer talks about a journey with God

While the COVID-19 pandemic is a struggle for many college students, God chose them to live during this time for a reason, John Rinehart told a California Baptist University audience on Feb. 3.

Rinehart spoke as part of the Faith & Enterprise series hosted virtually by the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business.

“You were made for this time. You were made for the coronavirus, for being a college student right now. It’s all part of your story,” Rinehart said. “Go slay a giant, go all in and find your calling. Go on the journey and connect the dots. Do not settle because the world is yelling for you to settle.”

Rinehart is an author, speaker and the founder of Gospel Patrons, a group of Christian business leaders who support those proclaiming the gospel.

Using his own story and the story of King David, Rinehart talked about college students going on the journey that God has placed them on.

David was not who everyone thought God would use as king, Rinehart said. He was the youngest son of Jesse who liked to be with the sheep, but God saw David’s heart.

“We see that this was David’s lightning bolt moment, the moment when he found out what he was destined to do,” Rinehart said.

In Rinehart’s own life, God used puzzle pieces to lead him down God’s intended path for him, which was different than the one he expected, Rinehart said.

After college, Rinehart saved every penny he could spare to climb out of debt. Although he had 15 years to pay off his debt, he accomplished it within 18 months. Once this goal was reached, he realized he wanted to do more than just make money, Rinehart said. He wanted to follow God.

“I wanted to learn to walk by faith,” Rinehart said. He and his wife took the money they had saved for a house and traveled for four months to see what God is doing in the world.

It was during this time that Rinehart heard about a group of Christian business leaders supporting those who share the gospel. Rinehart, who had a business degree from Biola University, felt inspired hearing about this group. He was led to found Gospel Patrons and write a book about the topic.

“God loves to align your calling with your strengths and desires,” Rinehart said. “God will either give you the desires of your heart or will change the desires of your heart.”

 

Family Updates

Linnette Devin, student accounts counselor, was named employee of the month for February. Her nomination included the following statements: “Linnette exemplifies a team player. She is always willing to assist with special projects in the office and often asks for ways she can support our team and students outside of her assigned job duties. I really appreciate her consistent communication, feedback, and suggestions on ways we can improve processes and service. Her caring and positive attitude has been a blessing to our team.”

 

 

Dr. Karen Cross, assistant professor of school psychology, co-authored an article published in Gifted Child Quarterly (Jan. 27). It was titled Identifying and Serving Gifted and Talented Students: Are Identification and Services Connected?

 

 

 

 

Melissa Beck, CAVAD adjunct professor of design thought foundation, was featured in an article on ShoutOutLA (Jan. 18). She discusses her work/life balance and her art.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeff Biddle, director of the Counseling Center, published his dissertation, titled RE:STORE: A Systemic Approach of Recovery from Compulsive Internet Pornography Use (January 2021). The dissertation is archived in the University of Southern California library.

 

 

 

Dr. Nathan Iverson, assistant professor of psychology, was chosen as 2021 Big Brother of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters. He has been a Big Brother since 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Gene Moon, associate professor of music, served as guest clinician and conductor of the 2021 OkMEA (Oklahoma) All-State Orchestra on Jan. 21-23. During the virtual event, they discussed the technique and musical performance regarding the fourth movement of Symphonic Metamorphoses by Paul Hindemith. Additionally, Moon participated in the Sewanee (Tennessee) WinterFest on Jan. 4-8. He developed and directed the conducting program.

 

 

Dr. Dominick Sturz, professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, has been credentialed as a Master Certified Health Education Specialist by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. The master certified specialist is the highest credential for a health education practitioner, who has met the required academic qualifications; passed the competency-based examination; and satisfies the continuing education requirement to maintain the national credential.

 

 

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science, co-authored a paper published in Chemosphere (Volume 264.) The title was Deposition of Fukushima nuclear power plant accident-derived Radiocesium in the soils of Jeju Island, Korea, and evidence for long- and short-lived radionuclides in rainwater.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Rodrigruez, assistant professor of music theory and composition, wrote songs and the musical score for CBU’s theatre production last fall, Love’s Labour’s Lost. The soundtrack is now available.

 

 

 

 

Stefani Plummer, administrative assistant to the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, was a panelist for a Campus Rec Magazine webinar on Jan. 28. The panel discussed the impacts of COVID on the recreation industry. Additionally, Plummer was featured in Campus Rec Magazine (September/October) as one of the leading women in Campus Recreation. She also wrote an article for Campus Rec Magazine titled Furlough: the New “F” Word of 2020 (Sept. 22).

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, participated in a special topic virtual seminar, Persons Divine and Human, on Feb. 3 and 5. She spoke on the integration of psychology in emerging works in theology on the issues of personhood and the Trinity.

 

 

 

Dr. Robert Pate, associate professor of psychology, co-presented a workshop at the Midwinter Meeting of the National Council of Schools and Programs in Professional Psychology on Jan. 19. The workshop title was Enhancing Religion and Spirituality Training to Meet Diverse Client Preferences.

 

 

 

 

Dr. H Bruce Stokes, professor of anthropology and behavioral sciences, was an invited speaker at the Winter Leadership Conference of the Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations on Jan. 24 and 31. He presented on Alternative Forms of Gathering for Jewish Congregations based on Chavurah groups in Judaism and House Church models in Christianity.

 

 

 

CBU’s sport and performance psychology program has worked with the Riverside Police and Fire departments to educate their work force on stress management for the past three years. As a result of the work, Dr. Mario Soto, adjunct professor of sport and performance psychology, was presented with a plaque on Feb. 3  on behalf of the city, the department and the police Explorer program.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Monica O’Rourke, professor of kinesiology, co-authored an article in Faith and Fitness Magazine (Feb. 3). It was titled Rethink Water for Fitness.

 

 

 

 

University Advancement announces the Walter and Janet Price Family School of Christian Ministries Endowment fund established by Fellowship Church (Beaumont) in honor of Christ’s faithful servants and CBU’s dear friends, Walter and Janet Price. The new endowment fund—$200,000–which includes the gift from Fellowship Church, a match from a generous donor and an institutional match from CBU—will help support a series of new lectures, workshops, and conferences on topics related to biblical pastoral ministry and expository teaching. The endowment will promote in perpetuity the biblical vision of pastoral ministry that Walter and Janet have fostered for decades. Walter served as the senior pastor at Fellowship Church for 32 years before retiring. The Price family has had a lengthy relationship with CBU. Dr. Price has faithfully served as a CBU Board of Trustees member for many years. He has mentored CBU students, preached during chapel, and continually seeks to be of service to CBU and its students. All five of the Price children are CBU graduates. Dr. Mark Rogers, the current pastor of Fellowship Church, was mentored by Walter and is himself a CBU alumnus. We are deeply grateful for this new endowment, which will be a blessing to students, alumni, pastors, and churches.

 

Lauren Hess, adjunct professor of psychology, spoke for a Facebook Live event for Let Them Play CA on Jan. 28. She spoke on mental performance and the toll that COVID-19 is having on youth athletes and their mental performance.

 

Jacey Coy, adjunct professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, and his wife, Nicole, welcomed a son on Jan. 20. Max Jacey Coy weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce. He joins siblings Carly, 9, and Jack, 7.

 

 

 

 

 

Jared Lewis, business systems analyst, and his wife, Veronica, welcomed a son on Jan. 22. Forest Allan Lewis weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 22 inches. Forest joins brother River, 5, and sister Hazel, 3.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU planning fall return to campus life, in-person instruction 

California Baptist University is planning to welcome students back to campus this fall after more than a year of disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

The increasing availability of COVID-19 vaccinations was a key factor in the decision to resume a more normal campus experience for students, faculty, and staff, CBU officials said. 

“We are continuing to monitor the pandemic closely and will be developing plans that embrace best practices to ensure a safe return to campus life and in-person instruction,” said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president.  

Ellis said announcing the decision now will give prospective and current CBU students and their families considerable time to prepare for the return to campus life. Details about classroom instruction, student housing, and regular campus gatherings such as chapel, athletic events, and student clubs will be forthcoming as plans develop, he added. 

 

Students start 2021 spring semester  at CBU

California Baptist University kicked off the spring 2021 semester on Jan. 25.

CBU delayed the start of the spring semester by two weeks due to a surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in the southern California region. Classes for the semester will continue to be held primarily through live/synchronous remote instruction.

A drive-thru check-in on Jan. 22 welcomed new students and gave them their welcome packet and other needed materials. New and returning students also moved in that day.

The virtual Welcome Weekend experience featured fun and important information. Videos provided information on topics such as academics, campus offices, Athletics and Spiritual Life.

New students will also participate in First-Year Experience groups, which will help them adapt to campus life, beginning Jan. 27. Gavin Andrew, director of First-Year Experience, said it is still important for the students to feel connected to the campus.

“Connecting with the campus and each other is more challenging due to COVID. However, challenging is not impossible,” Andrew said. “What students put into it really can dictate their experience. We want to help students identify resources that are available to them as Lancers whether they’re on campus or home. We also want to share with them what the campus offers when we’re back to a more normal scenario, so they have things to look forward to.”

Mariah Gonzalez, an early childhood studies junior and a transfer student, said she chose CBU because of the reputation of the school and the Christian community.

“I’ve heard all good things from CBU and I’m a Christian and I value the community here,” Gonzalez said. “The campus is so beautiful, and my professors are very organized so I’m very excited for classes to start.”

Kierna McCallum, a psychology freshman who returned to her campus housing, said she loves living on campus.

“I made a really great group of friends who I absolutely love hanging out with,” McCallum said. “I made a lot of memories on campus. I am really looking forward to the community and my classes. I am also looking forward to making new friends.”

 

CBU Online places high in U.S. News & World Report rankings

CBU Online, the Division of Online and Professional Studies at California Baptist University, placed high in multiple categories in the latest national rankings released by U.S. News & World Report (USN&WR).

CBU Online earned the No. 67 spot among online bachelor’s programs in the 2021 rankings.

CBU Online also ranked high in the USN&WR rankings for “Best Online Master’s in Business Programs (Excluding MBA)” and “Best Online Master’s in Education Programs” as these programs earned a No. 80 and No. 83 respectively. “Best Online MBA Programs” landed at No. 139.

Pamela Daly, vice president for Online and Professional Studies, said CBU Online was excited to be recognized for its programs in a very competitive market.

“CBU Online continues to pursue and deliver outstanding online academic programs to serve adult students who expect flexibility, affordability and technology-driven learning,” Daly said. “While the pandemic has forced many colleges and universities to pivot to remote teaching and learning, OPS has designed and delivered robust, personalized, career-oriented programs for more than a decade.

Daly said that CBU OPS faculty and staff are the force behind this national recognition.

“Their compassion, expertise and excellence ensure that our students achieve their educational and career goals. We are proud to be a part of CBU and the Great Commission work,” Daly said.

CBU Online currently serves approximately 5,200 students online through 26 undergraduate majors and concentrations, 16 graduate programs and concentrations, and three doctoral programs.

For more information on the USN&WR rankings, please visit https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/california-baptist-university-110361.

 

Alumnus teaches and shares his story to encourage others

Growing up in Rubidoux, California, college did not interest Ruben Aguilar (’17, ’18).

He joined the Army after he heard a recruiter speak at his high school.

“I was not a good student. I was not ready for college,” Aguilar said. “I was more like, how I can get out of here as fast as possible?”

Yet after service, Aguilar went to Norco Community College then California Baptist University, ultimately earning a master’s degree. In fall 2020, Aguilar was named Alumnus of the Year by the Riverside Community College District.

He was serving in Iraq when he was injured by an improvised explosive device in 2007. He spent six months in the hospital and has had three shoulder surgeries.

In 2009, Aguilar decided to use his military benefits to attend college. He chose Norco College. At the time, the campus had a Veterans Affairs representative but no veteran resource center. Aguilar and other veterans worked with school administration to create one.

For Aguilar, it was about helping other veterans.

“It’s a place where I can go and where people understand the different things that I’ve gone through. A lot of us at the time, in 2009, were Afghanistan vets or Iraqi vets,” Aguilar said. “Having a place to go, I know exactly what you’ve gone through.”

When Aguilar was injured, doctors told him he would have some physical restrictions. He wanted to know why.

“Why can’t I do this, what are my limitations? How do the muscles inside of my shoulder work?” Aguilar said.

That led him to get an associate degree in health and kinesiology (he also got two associate degrees in other areas). He started looking at and visiting four-year universities.

“I came to CBU and everything lined up for me,” Aguilar said. “We talk about mind, body, spirit. God is at the forefront of my life.”

He earned his bachelor’s, then his master’s. With a wife and four kids, he condensed the two-year kinesiology graduate program into one. During that busy year, his go-to phrase was “it’s time to strap back on the boots.”

After reaching that goal, he became an adjunct at CBU for two years and did a student teaching internship program at Norco College. In fall 2020, he started teaching at Norco full time.

He wants to encourage community college students like his instructors did for him and to recommend that students transfer to a four-year college. There are many reasons why they do not.

“I felt like [community college] was where I wanted to be and where God was calling me to go share my story. I came from this background. I walked the same walk that some of these kids have,” Aguilar said. “I want to teach them and guide them. It’s hard to tell someone we need help. That’s our culture. I want to change the mindset.”

Aguilar also strives to help the youth in Rubidoux. Since 2016, he and friends have worked to get the kids off the street. They connect youth with jobs at a vintage airplane restoration company. Then Aguilar teaches them about health and fitness. A year ago, Aguilar and his friends turned their efforts into a nonprofit, A1 Skyraider Foundation.

Aguilar said he does not work for the recognition, but the alumnus award gave him a spark of motivation.

“Sometimes we feel we’re not making an impact and then getting an award like this, it’s like there are people watching,” Aguilar said. “My wife, my mom, every single faculty member on the Health Science campus and the kinesiology department made me who I am and made me grow to be a better person, and to share God’s gift, God’s Word and to be a leader.”

 

LaGuardia team shares kindness in the homeless community

It was a warm April day when Zachary LaGuardia went to a 99 Cents Only Store to purchase 50 containers of sunscreen to pass out to members of the homeless community in Riverside. He ended up spending over $200.

“The world around us is crazy, but I wanted to still make a difference and impact those who needed help,” said LaGuardia, director of ticketing and sales in Athletics at California Baptist University. “I’ve seen the homeless community grow in the four years that I’ve been here in Riverside. I walked down the aisles and saw other items like ChapStick and water bottles and snacks and realized these were items I used in my daily life but the homeless need these items, too. So, I threw them into my cart.”

He went home and assembled 50 kits to hand out to people experiencing homelessness.

LaGuardia noticed the impact his kits made when he came across one of the homeless men who was still using the kit 10 days after receiving it.

Sharing about his experience through social media and word of mouth, LaGuardia’s effort grew to receive help from more than 500 volunteers who make 200 care packages a month. As more volunteers joined, LaGuardia decided to start a nonprofit organization, Kits With Kindness, that creates monthly care packages for members of the homeless population.

Each kit includes food, hygiene items, socks and a handwritten note.

“The handwritten notes have been a staple from the start because I’ve always loved handwritten notes,” LaGuardia said. “It’s just a personal touch that offer words of encouragement and to remind them that there are people who care about them. They do hold value and there is a future beyond the circumstances they currently find themselves in.”

LaGuardia said the nonprofit focuses on relationship building rather than just handing out the kits, and that the team effort is what makes the difference.

“There’s a team of drivers who hand deliver these kits, but we make sure to ask [the homeless] how they are and begin to build a relationship with them. This is not transactional but focused on making a lasting difference to remind them they still matter and we still care,” LaGuardia said.

Each month, Kits With Kindness asks for a bigger item to be donated along with the smaller items. In December, the nonprofit wanted blankets. In January it is sleeping bags.

Geby Rawung, a business administration senior, oversees mask donation on LaGuardia’s team. So far, Rawung has secured over $5,000 worth of masks and supplies.

“During this pandemic, people are only a bill or paycheck away from losing their next meal or shelter,” Rawung said. “Those experiencing homelessness are sons, daughters, sisters, brothers and not just junkies. It doesn’t hurt to be kind. There are so many reasons that people can become homeless, which means that there is no single solution in addressing the issue, but there is always a way that we can help.”

Rawung added that, being a college student, she was not able to donate a lot of money to the nonprofit so she used her business skills as a way to help.

Volunteers meet once a month to pack the kits. Those interested can find more information on getting involved at kitswithkindness.org.

 

Family Updates

Ashley Sonke, nursing student services coordinator, co-authored a paper published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The title was Promising Practices in Holistic Admissions Review: Implementation in Academic Nursing.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jim Buchholz, professor of mathematics and physics, and Cecily Dussell, laboratory coordinator for Natural and Mathematical Sciences, hiked up Mount Rubidoux with telescopes and cameras on Dec. 21 to observe the closest observable conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in almost 800 years. The planets were only about 0.1 degrees apart that night as observed from Earth. The German astronomer Johannes Kepler had suggested that the Christmas Star was actually an extremely rare triple conjunction of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn that would have guided the wisemen to Bethlehem.

 

Dr. Gretchen Bartels-Ray, associate professor of English for Online and Professional Studies, published a poem in KAIROS Literary Magazine (Jan. 13). It was titled Cracking Wolf.

 

 

 

 

Andrew Cress, director of special projects in the Office of Educational Effectiveness, published a book review in the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (December 2020). It was a review of Jesus, Skepticism, and the Problem of History: Criteria and Context in the Study of Christian Origins.

 

 

 

Dr. Jenifer N. Nalbandian, assistant professor of chemistry, and CBU’s Chemistry Club were recognized at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National ChemLuminary Awards on Dec. 9 for hosting the Best National Chemistry Week Event Organized by a Student Group. For the event, Nalbandian organized over 80 volunteers from student chemistry clubs from four counties throughout the Southern California region. The volunteers ran booths with chemistry demonstrations and hands-on activities. Hundreds of people, including K-12 students, parents and teachers, gathered on the CBU Front Lawn and in the CBU chemistry labs for ACS National Chemistry Week 2019.

 

Andrés D. Vera, assistant professor of New Testament, presented a paper at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society on Nov. 19. It was titled Am I First or Last?: Rewards and Self-Perception in the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matt 20:1-16).

 

 

 

Amy Nantkes, adjunct professor of history and government for Online and Professional Studies, received the 2020-2021 Claremont Graduate University Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Award. It is given yearly by the faculty research committee.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Namhee Kim, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders, published a research article in the Journal of Speech-Language Hearing Research (Jan. 14). The article was titled Vowel context effects on consonant repetition in early words.

 

 

 

Dr. Mark Kling, associate professor of criminal justice, and Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, associate professor of public administration, both for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in the PA Times (Jan. 15). It was titled Defund the Police or Invest in Human Capital:  A Framework for Community Safety.

 

 

 

Dr. Amanie Abdelmessih, professor of mechanical engineering, served at the 2020 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition on Nov. 16-19. She was a topic organizer for the Electronics Thermal Management session.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Robin Duncan, dean of the School of Education, co-wrote an article that was published in the Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education (Winter 2020). It was titled Bridging the Gap Between Secondary and Tertiary Education for Students with Refugee Backgrounds with Bourdieu: A Case study from Malaysia.

 

 

 

Dr. Robert Crosby, associate professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Jeff Gage, professor of nursing, co-authored a paper that was published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma (January 2021). It was titled Trauma-informed children’s ministry: A qualitative descriptive study.

 

 

Dr. Steve Posegate, professor of music education, gave a virtual presentation at the University of Southern Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 11. The topic was Helping Others Succeed: The Life of a Music Education Professor. Posegate’s host for the event was Kerron Hislop, a former graduate student of Postegate’s at CBU.

 

 

 

Dr. Keanon Alderson, professor of management, wrote a book review that was published in Family Business United (Jan. 11). The book was The Company I Keep: My Life In Beauty by Leonard Lauder.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, was interviewed for the American Scientific Affiliation’s Diving Deeper Discussions on Jan. 9. The discussion focused on Smith’s paper The Role of Psychology in Advancing Dialogue between Science and Christianity.

 

 

 

Dr. Jacob Avila, adjunct professor of business and management, and Dr. Scott Dunbar, associate professor of human resource management, both for Online and Professional Services, co-authored an article published in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management (February 2021). It was titled Burnout and Worklife in Disaster Restoration: Maslach Burnout Inventory and Areas of Worklife Survey.

 

 

Dr. Dominick Sturz, professor of public health for Online and Professional Services, presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Conference on Oct. 24-28. The title of the presentation was Firearm policies: Whose rights deserve protection?

 

 

 

Dr. David Hernandez, adjunct professor of public administration, received the 2020 National Firefighter Award from the Veterans of Foreign Wars in recognition of his service at the Victorville Fire Department. Hernandez was first selected as Firefighter of the Year at a VFW post in Riverside, then statewide before being selected for the national award. He served 30 years in the fire service before recently retiring.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, associate professor of public health for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to a Girls in STEM Los Angeles Chapter on Jan. 13. She talked about college preparation, careers in STEM and her work with myCovidMD, an initiative that aims provide Covid-19 pop-up drive-thru Testing for  vulnerable populations.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Mark Blincoe, associate professor of history, had an article published in the Haskins Society Journal (Volume 31). It was titled Political Identity and the Succession of Henry II.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Nathan Iverson, assistant professor of psychology, presented at the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce: Business in Action committee on Jan. 20. The presentation was titled Undiscovered Human Potential.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ogbochi McKinney, associate professor of public health, and Dr. Dominick Sturz, professor of public health, both for Online and Professional Services, Heather Toki (CBU student) Lindsay Brown and Ellen Van Druten (both CBU alumni) published an article in the Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology (December 2020). The article was titled Effectiveness of the medical response teams to the 2014 Ebola outbreak: African immigrants’ perceptions.

 

 

Christopher Kern, assistant professor of photography, designed a 2021 calendar featuring student work from 2020. The calendar is part of a fundraising effort by the photography program. Donors will receive a calendar for a donation of $100 or more.

 

 

 

Psychological Services of Riverside—the CBU Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology Program’s community clinic—is offering teletherapy services to CBU faculty and staff (and dependents) at a discounted rate of $30 per psychotherapy session. Services are provided by second-year PsyD students, who are being supervised by licensed psychologists affiliated with the CBU PsyD Program. For an appointment, please call the office at (951) 552-8137.

 

Megan Sais, graduate admissions counselor/recruiter, appeared on the “Wheel of Fortune.” The episode aired Nov. 27.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Michelle Nielsen Hernandez, associate professor of mathematics, and her husband, Josue, welcomed a son on Dec. 12. Josiah Nikolas Hernandez weighed 7 pounds, 3.7 ounces and measured 18.5 inches. He joins sister, Isabella, 19 months.

 

 

 

Kristin Holderman, director of campus activities, and her husband, Donnie, welcomed a son on Jan. 8. Boone Louis Ezekiel weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and measured 21¼ inches. Boone joins brothers Finn, 3½, and Crosby, 1½.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ted Grant, visiting professor of physics, and his wife, Diana, welcomed a daughter on Dec. 6. Giana Maria Grant weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces and measured 20.5 inches.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU celebrates 2020 graduates with virtual commencement

California Baptist University held a virtual commencement on Dec. 12, celebrating graduates from 2020 spring, summer and fall semesters.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, CBU was unable to hold in-person commencement ceremonies this year.

“CBU’s class of 2020 will be forever bonded by these unique circumstances––but each of you will be defined by how you respond and apply your God-given gifts and purpose as you move forward,” said Dr. Walter Price, vice chair of the California Baptist University Board of Trustees.

Combined applications for graduation included 23 candidates for doctoral degrees, 1,282 for master’s degrees and 1,889 for undergraduate degrees for a total of 3,194 graduates.

Dr. Anthony Dockery, chair of the California Baptist University Board of Trustees, said the response from students, faculty and staff in adapting to changes has been inspiring.

“I especially thank our graduates, families and guests for their patience and perseverance as we all navigate these unique circumstances,” Dockery said. “Even though today’s event was not the original plan, I am still grateful and excited for the opportunity to celebrate this important milestone for our graduates.”

Dockery, who gave the commencement address, said all the hard work and sacrifice by the graduates finally paid off.

“The goal you have been pursuing at last is at hand. You have successfully navigated the various requirements, deadlines and challenges necessary to receive your diploma,” Dockery said. “Additionally, you weathered the changes, interruptions and unknowns caused by a global pandemic. You adapted to these unprecedented circumstances and finished strong. I am extremely proud of you.”

He encouraged graduates to live their purpose wherever God takes them.

“2020 has proven that your unique God-given gifts and purpose are needed now more than ever,” Dockery said. “As you leave CBU, may you take with you the passion for learning, the friendships made and the life’s lessons gained.”

During the ceremony, CBU recognized the efforts of several students who achieved excellence in their academic accomplishments. Lauren Oliver received the Outstanding Online and Professional Studies Student of the Year Award. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English.

Henry David Leon Du, a student from Guatemala, received the Min Sung Kim International Student Award. This award is presented each year to a CBU international student who has made outstanding contributions to the CBU community. Du earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Michaela Marie Miller was the recipient of the 2020 Outstanding Senior Award. Miller graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science with a 4.0 GPA.

After the ceremony, the names of all the graduates were displayed individually on the Events Center Jumbotron.

Deans and faculty also recorded messages for the graduates, which can be seen here.

 

Commencement tradition continues with the ringing of the bell

California Baptist University celebrated commencement on Dec. 12 for nearly 3,200 students. Because of the pandemic, CBU is holding a virtual commencement to honor students who earned their degrees in the spring, summer and fall of 2020.

Despite the unusual times, some traditions continue, including having a distinguished scholar ring the bell prior to the start of the ceremony.

Each toll of the bell represents one decade of the university’s existence. The bell rang seven times to commemorate the seven decades of academic excellence. CBU was established in 1950.

Matthew Ressler, a Bachelor of Science in Marketing spring graduate, was chosen to ring the bell. Ressler, who had a 4.0 GPA, was excited to be selected.

“I had learned about the opportunity my first semester and I knew I wanted to obtain the role at graduation,” Ressler said.

Ressler also set a goal of completing college in three years, which he did. He was also part of a team that won the Bob Goodrich Business Plan Competition in 2018. The team presented a business plan to create a device that could theoretically turn off a gas stove through a timer.

While at CBU, Ressler held presentations for the Marketing Club on search engine optimization and did it again as a guest speaker this fall.

“CBU helped me conceptualize what it means to help other people through learning,” Ressler said.

Ressler is now working at a marketing company as a SEO strategist.

“This school has an amazing staff of professors,” Ressler said. “I am proud to be a Lancer and hope to be back in the future as a guest speaker or lecturer in the School of Business.”

 

Coach Croy becomes one of the fastest coaches to 300 wins

With win over SE Louisiana on Dec. 4, California Baptist University Head Coach Rick Croy joins an all-star cast of coaches across the country as one of the fastest to 300 wins in his career.

“This is a huge milestone achievement for Coach Rick Croy,” said Ron Prettyman, interim athletic director. “This accomplishment reflects his commitment, work ethic, and ability to coach. He is a great leader of young men.”

“Beyond grateful for 300 for 3 reasons — moments with many great players that have now become my friends, being on a coaching staff that is a true brotherhood, and my family for always competing with me every day,” said Croy.

Croy, who now holds a career 300-91 overall record in his 13 seasons of coaching, sits at No. 14 all-time among the top college basketball coaches at the NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II level.

Read the full story here.

 

 

CBU ranks high in assisting students with social mobility

California Baptist University is one of the top private universities helping students with social mobility, according to a recent report by Education Reform Now, a think tank that advocates for students in the public education system and their families.

The report identified 614 four-year colleges where students receiving federal Pell Grants are more likely to graduate than they are to drop out and where federal loan repayment and default rates are better than the average four-year institution. Education Reform Now called these colleges “social mobility elevators.” A Pell Grant is a needs-based grant that does not need to be repaid.

Among private universities, CBU ranked first in California and fifth nationally.

“Social mobility is a cornerstone of the American way — the land of opportunity,” said Dr. Wayne Fletcher, associate provost for academic services. “In our current society, for many, higher education is the gateway to economic and social mobility.”

Forty-two percent of traditional undergraduate students at CBU receive a Pell Grant and 36 percent receive the Cal Grant. The number of recipients at CBU is reflective of the Inland Empire socioeconomics, Fletcher said.

“The challenge nationally is that students with high economic need complete university at lower rates than students from more affluent families,” Fletcher said. “This matters to CBU because our mission is to help students discover and live their purpose.”

Taylor Neece, dean of Admissions, said CBU spends time educating prospective students about financial aid and dispelling the myths of private education related to affordability. The Financial Aid office works with Admissions to offer financial aid informational sessions and workshops on how to fill out the federal student aid form.

“Our goal is that students do not shut the door to a private education,” Neece said. “There are many students who don’t know that CBU can be a reality and our mission is to help them understand how CBU might be financially viable for them.”

Once students are at CBU, various campus offices ­— including the Office of Student Success and the Career Center — will help them succeed during their college years and after, Neece said.

“I call it the CBU scaffolding. The CBU support scaffolding allows students to get to heights that they wouldn’t be able to get to otherwise,” Neece said. “We want to do everything we can to wrap them with support in order for them to be successful during their time here and post-graduation.”

The Education Reform Now ranking reflects the fact that CBU students are succeeding, Fletcher said.

“It means that CBU is successfully providing the resources, education and guidance which supports students from lower socioeconomic populations in achieving graduation,” Fletcher said. “Successful graduation leads to increased employment and economic opportunity which allows student to repay student loans and achieve social mobility.”

 

Family Updates

Dr. Joshua Knabb, associate professor of psychology, Dr. Robert Pate, associate professor of psychology, Dr. Sean Sullivan, professor of kinesiology, Dr. Erik Salley, associate professor of kinesiology, Dr. Amy Miller, associate professor of kinesiology, and Dr. William Boyer, assistant professor of kinesiology, had an article published in Mental Health, Religion and Culture (Nov. 17, 2020). It was titled Walking with God.

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, presented at the International Leadership Conference on Oct. 20. Her poster presentation was titled Holistic Mentoring and Coaching for Advancement and Innovative Leadership.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Raquel Ellis, assistant professor of social work, and Dr. Charles Lee-Johnson, assistant professor of social work, presented virtually at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting held Nov. 16-20. The presentation was titled How Servant Leadership Can Facilitate an Inclusive and Supportive MSW Program Environment.

 

 

 

Dr. Joshua Knabb, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, had an article published in Journal of Psychology and Theology. It was titled The Christian Contentment Scale: An Emic Measure for Assessing Inner Satisfaction within the Christian Tradition.

 

 

 

The MBA program at the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business recently was ranked third in California by Best Value Schools.

 

Dr. Jessica Miller, adjunct professor of public health sciences, published a book, Rico Eats a Rainbow (November 2020). The children’s book is about making healthy eating choices. Additionally, Miller was a panelist for a virtual workshop at the Black Doctoral Network Conference on Oct. 30. The workshop was titled Exploring Non-Academic Careers for DrPH Professionals.

 

 

 

Dr. Melissa Wigginton, associate professor of health science, presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Conference on Oct. 24-28. The title of the poster presentation was Sedentary time, physical activity and violence: Using the 2017 YRBSS to explore risk and protective factors among high school youth.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Patrick Schacht, associate professor of biochemistry, had a peer-reviewed paper published in the journal BMC Genomics (Nov. 2). The title is Clustering analysis of large-scale phenotypic data in the model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa.

 

 

 

Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom, associate professor of public administration for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in the PA Times on Oct. 8. It was titled The Impacts of Cultural Norms on the Success of Healthcare Policies.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Amanie Abdelmessih, professor of mechanical engineering, served as track co-organizer at the 2020 Interpack Conference on Oct. 27-29. Additionally, Abdelmessih co-authored an article with seven CBU mechanical engineer graduates from 2020 that was published in the conference proceedings. The graduates were Andre Alvarez, Joshua Gonzalez, Timothy Gooch, Adrian Gutierrez, Kristoffer Magana, Jonathan Nakamura and Joseph van Haaster. The title of the article was Personal Heating/Cooling System Using Peltier.

 

 

 

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science, co-authored a paper published in Water (Volume 12). The title was Silicon Fractionation of Soluble Silicon in Volcanic Ash Soils That May Affect Groundwater Silicon Content on Jeju Island, Korea.

 

 

 

Dr. Sandra Romo, associate professor of communication, and Dr. Shannon Leinen, adjunct professor of communication, both for Online and Professional Studies, presented research at the National Distance Learning Association Annual Virtual Conference on Nov. 9. The title of the presentation was Constructing Online Collaboratories: Approaches to Building Community Remotely.

 

 

Dr. Kristin Mauldin, assistant professor of psychology, and Dr. Ed Garrett, associate professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in the Journal of Scholarly Engagement. It was titled Making an Impact in Community Athletics: Teaching Sport Psychology to High School Coaches.

 

 

 

Hector Jimenez, assistant professor of music, released a new single. The gospel song is titled The Other Side.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, had two papers published.  The role of psychology in advancing the dialogue between science and Christianity was published in Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith. The second paper she co-authored. It was titled Conceptualising spirituality and religion as psychological processes: Validation of the factor structure of the BMMRS and published in Mental Health, Religion, & Culture.

 

 

 

Damon Horton, assistant professor of intercultural studies, made two presentations and led a breakout session at Juntos 2020: Visión Discipleship on Nov. 6-7. The presentations were titled Abiding in Jesus and Making Disciples During Tough Times. The breakout was titled A Place for Latinos in the Race Conversation. He also participated at the Evangelical Theological Society 2020 Annual Meeting on Nov. 18. He presented a paper, Urban Islam: Assessing the Moorish Science Temple, Nation of God’s & Earths, and Nation of Islam, and took part in a panel, Practical Theology: Insider Movements, Nation of Islam. He made a keynote presentation at the Diversity Conference 2020 on Nov. 7. It was titled Ethnic Conciliation: The Church’s Best Move in a Fallen World. Additionally, he was part of panel at the Send Institute The Futures of the North American Church on Dec. 1. The panel was titled Church Planting Manifesto.

 

Dr. Sandra Romo, associate professor of communication for Online and Professional Studies, presented research at the Texas Social Media Research Institute Annual Conference held virtually on Nov. 12. The title was Fostering Positive Communicative Experiences During High Stress Environments.

 

 

 

Dr. Kristin Mauldin, assistant professor of psychology, presented in a symposium at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology’s 2020 Annual Conference held Oct. 21-24. It was titled Exercise Psychology and Wellness among Underrepresented Groups: Decolonizing, Tailoring, and Partnering with the Community.

 

 

 

Brian Bovee, assistant professor of computer information technology, and Thomas Jernejcic, associate professor of computer information technology, both for Online and Professional Studies, presented a paper at the 51^st Annual Conference of the Decision Sciences Institute held virtually on Nov. 22. The paper was titled Leaderboard or Digital Badges? Improving Engagement in Online Discussions.

 

 

Dr. Shawn Wilhite, assistant professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in Credo Magazine (November 2020). It was titled What Does it Mean to be “Pro-Nicene”? The Development of Pro-Nicene Theology.

 

 

 

Dr. Teresa Hamilton, associate professor of nursing, had two chapters published in a textbook. The chapters, Health Policy and Evidence based practice, were published in Engage Fundamentals Textbook (2020).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jeff Biddle, director of the Counseling Center, successfully defended his dissertation on Nov. 20. He earned a Doctor of Social Work/Executive Leadership from the University of Southern California. His dissertation was titled RE:STORE: A Systemic Approach of Recovery from Compulsive Internet Pornography Use.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, was a panelist at the Intentional Leadership Associate Conference on Nov. 7. The panel was titled Liminal Leadership and Structural Models.

 

 

 

 

Scott Glackin, foodservice equipment tech/lead for Facilities and Planning Services, and his wife, Silvana, welcomed their fifth grandchild on Nov. 8. Theodore Alan Glackin weighed 6 pounds,15 ounces and measured 19 inches. His parents are Nicholas and Erica Glackin.

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah Millikan, nursing student services coordinator, and her husband, Ben, welcomed a daughter on Oct. 13. Josephine Dawn Millikan weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and measured 20 inches. She joins brother Teddy, 2½.

 

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

 

 

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU theatre program bringing its production to the screen

The COVID-19 pandemic has closed theatres and quieted stages across the country. However, students at California Baptist University have been busy rehearsing for William Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”

Though instead of performing before a live audience, the CBU cast filmed its production on Nov. 14 to make it available for streaming. During rehearsals, everyone wore a mask or a face shield, but those came off for filming.

“I tell the students, there are actors all over the country right now who want to be in rehearsal,” said Frank Mihelich, associate professor of theatre and the show’s director.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost” is a romantic comedy. The play was written in the 1590s, but the CBU production is set in 1938 in the Hamptons outside of New York. Instead of royalty, the characters are upper-class New York sophisticates.

“It’s a fun play, and we need a comedy right now,” Mihelich said.

For Daniel MacDonald, a film senior who plays Ferdinand, learning the language of Shakespeare was a challenge. So was learning how to dance, act and sing with masks and face shields.

“Acting without the ability to see the other person’s mouth affects the performance a lot. However, masks and shields have forced us to act with our eyes, eyebrows and bodies more to accommodate for what the masks cover up,” MacDonald said.

Jordan Brayboy, a theatre junior who plays the Princess, enjoyed being back on stage.

“It was great to see friends again and to be able to have this opportunity to perform on a stage because many do not have this luxury right now,” Brayboy said. “It’s a great opportunity to continue to work and grow within my craft.”

Joshua Rodriguez, assistant professor of music theory and composition, wrote music for the production. Additionally, the theatre program rented a professional video camera system for the filming. Along with Mihelich, there was a film director and editor. They plan to have the finished product available for streaming via ShowTix4U shortly before Thanksgiving.

Brayboy plans to watch the production with family and friends.

“I hope that the audience finds some time to laugh and enjoy the moments that life gives us,” Brayboy said. “We are all navigating difficult times right now and as cliché as it may sound, love is something that can help us get through life’s tough moments.”

Mihelich wants the viewers to enjoy the show and see that the theatre program is still at work.

“I want the audience to be able to stop, especially around the holidays, and have a good time,” Mihelich said. “I also want our regular audience to see we’re not hiding under a rock. We’re trying to be nimble; we’re trying to be flexible. We’re looking forward to being back in the room with them.”

As students rehearsed, many have wondered about the future of theatre with a pandemic.

“What I keep telling the students is, if you want to be an actor and innovator, if you want to rebuild the industry, that is great. Luckily, we have a lot of students who get excited about that,” Mihelich said. “Universities are in a special place to do this because we have time. Just the fact that we’re doing [this play] I hope is teaching them how to be an entrepreneur, how to think outside the box.”

 

CBU to offer a Bachelor of Social Work in fall 2021

California Baptist University will offer a Bachelor of Social Work starting in the fall of 2021 to meet the growing need for social workers.

The state of California has a significant shortage of social workers, said Dr. Jennifer Costello, BSW program director. The demand grows more significant in the Inland Empire with higher rates of poverty, single parenting and health disparities, she added.

“We just desperately need more social workers,” Costello said.

Social work is diverse—social workers are needed in areas that involve children, medicine, veterans and policy, among others. The pandemic and racial division have also exacerbated the challenges people face, Costello said.

“There are no easy fixes, but we need people who are willing to get in there and do the work,” she said.

One unique aspect of the CBU program will have students be part of an interprofessional education collaborative. BSW students will work alongside other students in various health-care majors. The goal is for students to learn how to better communicate in multidisciplinary teams, Costello said.

Students also will have the option of adding a congregational social work emphasis.

“We know our churches are on the frontlines of addressing social needs in our community,” Costello said. “Why isn’t a social worker sitting next to the pastor to help address the underlining issue of what brought this person in and why they have this need?”

The bachelor’s program will join the Doctor of Social Work, which began this fall, and the Master of Social Work at CBU.

“We are thrilled to add the Bachelor of Social Work degree to our already robust social work programs at the graduate level,” said Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. “By offering the full spectrum of social work education and training, graduates of CBU will be equipped to serve the myriad of needs for children and families in our community and beyond.”

 

CBU remembers veterans on Veterans Day 

More than 350 military veterans attend California Baptist University.

In previous years, CBU’s Veterans Resource Center held celebrations for Veterans Day. Because of COVID-19, this year looked different.

Jay Villasenor, Army veteran and director of the Veterans Resource Center, said it was his duty to make sure the veterans still have the recognition they deserve. On Nov. 11 in Stamps Courtyard, he handed out free meal tickets to student veterans for on-campus restaurants.

“We were unable to do the normal events we did in the past, but COVID is not going to stop us from recognizing and honoring our veterans,” Villasenor said.

Grant Agabon, aviation flight sophomore, served in the Marine Corps for five years prior to his time at CBU.

“I learned a lot in the military,” Agabon said. “My family was from the Philippines and we did not know a lot about America when we moved here. Originally when I joined the military it was because of money, but that completely changed once I was in. I’m extremely grateful because everything that I have now is because of the military.”

Agabon said Veterans Day is a day to remember those who served.

“To me, Veterans Day is to say thank you to those who have offered their lives for our freedom,” Agabon said. “I don’t see it as a normal holiday. It’s a day to go ‘look at this guy, it’s because of him that I am free.’”

Mark Santos, aviation flight sophomore, also served five years in the Marines as a flight technician, specializing in safety equipment.

“I was always fascinated with flight, and it’s been my passion ever since I was a child. I realized that if I could not afford college right away, I could join the military and learn about flight from that standpoint first,” Santos said.

Santos said his proudest moment in the Marines was receiving his Eagle, Globe and Anchor pin.

“It was like I was being tested on everything up until that point and I could finally be called a Marine,” Santos said.

Sgt. 1st Class Luis Perez, military science instructor, has been in the Army for 22 years. Perez teaches freshmen in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) the foundations of the Army.

Over the past 22 years, Perez has been stationed in countries such as North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq and Germany. He has also been stationed around the United States, most recently in Hawaii before starting at CBU.

“It gave me an opportunity to teach. I love giving my knowledge to students,” Perez said. “I hope when they graduate that they remember what they learned here, what it takes to be a leader and apply that to their stations.”

Perez said Veterans Day is a way to honor all soldiers.

“Veterans Day is not about me but the people who came before and the people who come after, to show the nation what sacrifices soldiers have to endure to have the freedom we have,” Perez said. “This is starting back in the Revolutionary War, they are the ones who had to set the scene for what we do. This is about honoring them, the ones who fought in previous wars and to show everyone in the country that these people have to pay a price.”

The Veterans Resource Center, located in Lancer Arms, has a lounge, computer lab and assistance for student veterans in need of government aid.

 

CBU campus publications earn multiple national awards

By Victoria Buszinski

The Lancer Media Group (LMG), which comprises several student-run publications at California Baptist University, recently earned six Pinnacle Awards from the College Media Association and five Pacemaker Awards from the Associated Collegiate Press.

At the Pinnacle Awards, announced Oct. 23, Reagan Lee won first place in Best Sports News Photo for her work in The Banner newspaper. CBU TV, the broadcast news team, won second place for Best Video Newscast for its story on the impact of COVID-19 on local businesses, as reported by Dyana Villa. The Banner also won third place overall in the Four-Year Less-Than-Weekly Newspaper of the Year category.

Students won third place in the Pacemaker Awards on Oct. 22 in Multimedia Story of the Year. Kelly McKittrick, Phillip Ndowu and Azucena Orozco used text, photo and video to report a story on the memorial of basketball star Kobe Bryant.

Students also earned seven honorable mentions for their work.

“The Pacemakers and Pinnacles are amazing competitions,” said Sonya Singh, assistant director of student publications. “It’s an exciting privilege to be included alongside other universities telling such important and compelling stories.”

Lee, a strategic communication graduate student, said the LMG students put their utmost effort into their work.

“We worked really hard as a staff and the effort that everyone put in created the perfect conditions to create these award-winning creative pieces,” Lee said.

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, interim director of the journalism and public relations program, said the group has a record for winning awards.

“The student-produced publications at California Baptist University have a long history of winning awards. The faculty and students involved with the publications are dedicated, hardworking and committed to achieving excellence,” Pearson said.

Pearson described the year as being different but consistent with the original mission of LMG: to tell the story.

“We have been intentional about keeping our Lancer Media Group team motivated about telling the story,” Pearson said. “The stories we cover now may not be the typical CBU stories, but it is important that we document this historic year.”

(Editor’s note: Victoria Buszinski is a public relations major)

 

Environmental Science Club receives award from city program

The Environmental Science Club at California Baptist University received the Spirit of Volunteerism Award from the Keep Riverside Clean and Beautiful (KRCB) program.

Connie Librenjak, executive director of KRCB, presented the award on Oct. 28. She said CBU’s Environmental Science Club received the award for its exemplary service.

“For the last five to six years, you have consistently come out for the Santa Ana River cleanup and for the Ward 5 cleanup,” Librenjak said. CBU is located within Ward 5 of Riverside. “Anytime we have ever called over the years, this Environmental Science Club is right there.”

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

Miranda Johnson-Phillips, president of the Environmental Science Club, said she felt honored to receive the award.

“It’s nice at times to see the fruit of your labor manifest into an award,” Johnson-Phillips said. “It’s awesome because although I’m accepting this as the current president, I’m also representing those who came before me and honoring the work they’ve put in and done.”

The Environmental Science Club hosts many events throughout the year, from Arbor Day at CBU (an event that plants trees on the CBU campus) to participating in the Santa Ana River cleanup and cleaning up local parks.

Tara Duncan, vice president of the club, said she was excited to receive the award.

“I’m from Texas and coming here, I wanted to get involved so I joined this club,” Duncan said. “We don’t volunteer or do these things to get recognized but when it happens we really appreciate it.”

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science and the club’s faculty advisor, said he was proud of the club receiving the award.

“CBU is a Christ-centered university. As a part of that mission we as a club act as Christian stewards who take care of God’s creation through our local community and environment,” Koo said. “It’s a very rewarding experience taking part in keeping our local community clean and I think our students are doing great at that.”

 

Theatre program turns classes into multicamera production

Professors in the theatre program at California Baptist University had to improvise this semester to teach their stage classes remotely.

Frank Mihelich, associate professor of theatre, would usually teach alone. Now he has at least one camera operator, a teacher’s assistant and someone in the control booth switching between the program’s three broadcast video cameras. One camera is focused on the professor sitting at a table, another is aimed at documents on the table and the third one is directed at the stage, where Mihelich’s assistant helps illustrate techniques and exercises.

“It’s like having your own little TV show every class,” Mihelich said.

Mihelich is teaching all acting classes this semester. Normally, his students would be rehearsing and interacting together on the stage in scenes. Now they are doing solo performance work.

“They are doing monologues from previously published plays or excerpts from novels. Some in the advance class are writing their own 10-minute show,” Mihelich said.

One of the classes is Acting IV: Departures from Realism (THE483), or avant-garde theatre.

“What is more avant-garde and weird than having to do it online?” Mihelich said. “One of the genres is site-specific theatre. I’ve had kids do monologues in their bathtubs—appropriately clothed—or from their car. In the classroom they would have had to create something.”

Scott Rydelski, a junior who is a comedic arts and theatre double major, is taking Departures from Realism.

“With that, there are many wacky movement principles that we must learn and exercise to allow the actor to train in that style,” Rydelski said. “Having the multi-camera set up and having the opportunity to do exercises and necessary physical training virtually alongside my professor and peers is very helpful.”

Lee Lyons, a professor of theatre who teaches a makeup class, said the theatre program’s camera equipment provided more options for teaching this semester. For his class, makeup kits were given to all the students to practice wherever they are. He demonstrates techniques with the help of a student model. Students take photos of their work and send it in for review.

“Our theatre kids want to do [things],” Lyons said. “We’ve taken what COVID’s given us and we’re trying to keep the kids cohesive.”

Eden Sides, a theatre sophomore, said she was anxious going into the semester, wondering if her two theatre classes would be productive.

“I’m so pleased with what they came up with to help us get the most out of the class,” Sides said. “Hands-on learning sticks the best in my brain. Reading about acting and doing all the text work for a play is great, but then getting up and experimenting with what it feels like in my own body and voice is where the magic happens.”

Family Updates

Shayda Hernandez, financial aid technician, was named employee of the month for November. Her nomination included the following statements: “Shayda always asks for additional work when she has completed her daily tasks and always strives to understand why something is done, rather than just understanding the process. This allows her to understand and have a foundation on what is happening to help fix and create more efficient processes. Since her promotion to technician earlier this year, she has reviewed/completed over 4,250 FAFSA verifications, which is a record in a single year.”

 

 

 

Mary Ann Stahovich, assistant professor of physician assistant studies, presented a peer-reviewed poster at the annual national Physician Assistant Education Association Forum on Oct. 20. The poster was titled Assessing PA Students’ Cultural Competency Toward Pediatric Native Americans. Stahovich and Dr. Sangmin Kim, professor of public health sciences, conducted the research.

 

 

 

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, presented at the virtual University of New Mexico Mentoring Conference on Oct 20. Her presentation was titled Adversity Quotient and Mentoring While Leading Student Teams.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology, was interviewed for the New Wine, New Wineskins Institute for Cultural Engagement. The interview was titled Conflicts between faith and science: Are they all in the head?

 

 

 

 

Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, and Philip Breitenbucher, assistant professor of social work, held a workshop for the National Association of Social Workers – California Chapter virtual conference on Oct. 16-17. It was titled Complexities Related to Substance Abuse & Mental Health Among Pregnant Women. Additionally, Flores-Carter led another workshop, titled Improving Perinatal Mental Health in Primary Care Settings.

 

 

 

Dr. Viola Lindsey, associate professor of social work, published an article in the Social Work Advocates magazine. It was titled Deconstructing/Constructing Working Alliance Between Police and Social Workers (October-November 2020).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Bonjun Koo, professor of environmental science, co-authored two papers. Silicon Fractionation of Soluble Silicon in Volcanic Ash Soils That May Affect Groundwater Silicon Content on Jeju Island, Korea was published in Water (September 2020). Silicon and Aluminum Mobility in Soils of Jeju Island, Korea was published in Applied and Environmental Soil Science (October 2020).

 

 

 

Dr. Ashley Parks, assistant professor of public health science, and Matthew Lazari, adjunct professor of public health science, made two presentations at the virtual American Public Health Conference on Oct. 24-28. One was titled Physician and Staff Responses to Non-facility Specific Patient Experience Feedback with Post-acute Care Transitions. The second, a poster presentation, was titled Self-reported mentorship needs and preferences of health administration and public health students.

 

 

Dr. Jacqueline Gustufson, dean of the School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Philip Breitenbucher, assistant professor of social work, and Jennafer Larsen, Master of Social Work alumnae, presented at the National Association of Social Workers-California Chapter conference virtual conference on Oct. 16-17. The workshop’s title was Dare to Change the Word: How Social Workers Can Engage in Social Enterprise.

 

 

 

Erin Kirk, adjunct professor of piano, presented papers at two conferences. Gershwin’s Cuban Overture & Copland’s Danzón Cubano: Two Cuban Peas in a Pod? was presented for the fall conference of the Pacific-Southwest chapter of the American Musicological Society on Oct. 24.  She presented Mining Hidden Depths: Copland’s Passacaglia for Piano for the Society for Musicology in Ireland on Oct. 30.

 

 

 

Dr. Jee Young Noh, assistant professor of education, had an article published in Merrill-Palmer Quarterly: Journal of Developmental Psychology (Volume 66, Issue 2). It was titled Children’s Evaluations of Necessary Harm: The Roles of Maternal Disapproval and Friend Relationship Status.

 

 

 

The English and Creative Writing programs hosted its annual Unhappy Hour poetry reading via Zoom on Oct. 27. Students participated in trivia, read famous poems and presented original work. As part of the programs’ effort to keep students connected, students were previously sorted into one of four literary-themed houses—House (Jack) London, House (John) Steinbeck, House (Amy) Tan, House (Octavia E.) Butler—that earn points when participating in various events. These events have included a virtual escape room, social media postings and poetry readings.

 

 

Sandeep Kaur, a physician assistant studies graduate student, received a $1,000 scholarship from the PA (Physician Assistant) Foundation. Nearly 600 PA students submitted applications and 26 students received one.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Team wins physician assistants challenge bowl for third time

For the third time in four years, California Baptist University students won the California Academy of Physician Assistants (CAPA) Student Medical Challenge Bowl.

But first they had to compete in the final round twice.

Students in CBU’s physician assistant studies graduate program made up one of 10 teams competing in the CAPA bowl. CBU beat Dominican University of California in the first round and University of the Pacific in the second to reach the final round against Loma Linda University on Oct. 10.

CBU and Loma Linda tied, but due to a scoring error, Loma Linda was declared the winner. When the error was noted, the rematch took place Oct. 15.

“Winning the CAPA bowl three times in four years is a truly commendable record for our PA program,” said Mary Ann Stahovich, assistant professor of physician assistant studies. “We were already proud of the team for participating in the [virtual] format, and when that is coupled with their gracious sportsmanship along with the win, it is a most impressive feat.”

The event took place virtually this year. The teams had to wait for the entire question to be read and then buzz in fast enough to answer it first. Teams scored 100 points for each correct answer and lost 100 for each incorrect one.

Adelaide Truong, Katherine Whang and Kelsey Hults made up the CBU team. The past year of classroom instruction and recently starting their clinical rotations prepared them for the competition, they said.

“I do not believe we did anything special apart from preparing ourselves little by little to become good PAs, which can be said of anybody that we competed against,” Whang said.

“I relearned the importance of teamwork,” Hults said about participating in the event. “This bowl was basically a group test since we were able to consult with each other before answering. In my clinical rotations, I constantly am witnessing physician assistants work with other professions to help our patients, so this is extremely applicable to real life.”

Truong said she felt pressure and excitement about getting a chance to redo the final round.

“I was a little shocked to win, but I am definitely proud of my teammates for their hard work and to be a part of the CBU program,” Truong said.

Whang said it was a great feeling to carry on the tradition for CBU.

“It really goes to show that we have an outstanding faculty that strives with every generation of students to give us the information we need to succeed, encourage us, and pray for us along the way,” Whang said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to represent our school through this competition and allow the dedication and commitment to excellence for Christ shine through.”

 

Alumnus urges students to make disciples wherever they are

Luke Womack (’11), founder of The GO Fund, encouraged California Baptist University students to use their gifts to follow God’s commandment to make disciples of all the nations. Womack spoke at the Culture and Justice Lecture Series virtual event on Oct. 15.

“God told us if we give our lives to Him—our vision and our motivation for His sake—we would find our life,” Womack said. “It’s a great paradox of the Kingdom of God that by losing our life we would find exactly what we were looking for all along.”

The GO Fund is a nonprofit organization that pays off student loans for missionaries. The number one reason people give Womack as to why they cannot go into missions is student debt.

“In [one woman’s] application, she had one line that haunted me. She said ‘student debt is the only barrier I have right now’ and when you hear someone say that is the only barrier, the only way to know if they’re telling the truth is to remove that barrier. We did and now she is overseas in the Middle East,” Womack said.

What brought Womack to the missions field was his realization that not every person has access to God.

As a child, Womack’s father would read a Bible story to him at night and it would bring him comfort. As he got older, he realized that not everyone gets to experience the joy of knowing God.

During his senior year at CBU, Womack led an International Service Project team to India. There he witnessed some people who had no idea that God existed.

“I went into a temple in India and there was this man who was bowing down to an idol, and I realized if no one brings the good news of Jesus Christ to this man, he was going to spend an eternity away from God. I wanted to offer people the same opportunity that I have,” Womack said.

“The Bible is a story of God’s glory, and He demanded his glory among the nations. The question I had to answer was ‘do I want to play a role in his great global story?’” Womack added.

Although God commands that his people make a disciple of all the nations, Womack said he understands that not every person is called to go into the missionary field. He felt called to help his peers go by taking away the barrier of debt.

“Start with God’s purpose. Find God’s purpose for you. God said to make disciples but let me be clear. I do not think every person is called to be a missionary overseas, or to start a nonprofit,” Womack said. “God does not value the missionary who goes overseas or the pastor more than the president of a college or a social worker. It’s about using your gifts to make disciples where God has put you. Be innovative with the gifts God has given you, and make disciples right where you are. As long as you live according to God’s will, he will show you where to go.”

For more information on The GO Fund, visit https://thegofund.com.

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences hosts the lecture series. Joelle Hood, co-founder of Thriving YOUniversity, will speak at the next lecture on Jan. 28.

 

Professor explains the importance of voting and being informed

Dr. Chris McHorney, department chair of history and government at California Baptist University, has been interested in politics and history since a teenager.

“Studying politics appealed to me because of the significant impact of the government — positive and negative — on our lives,” McHorney said.

McHorney, also a professor of political science, is starting his 15^th year at CBU. He teaches classes such as Introduction to International Politics, Methods of Research for Criminal Justice and World Geography.

With the November election approaching, he answered some questions about voting. 

Why is it important to vote?
All Americans should vote as the ability to participate in free and fair elections is one of our most important political rights. By voting we are able to hold politicians and political parties accountable for their words (rhetoric) and deeds (policies). Approximately 2.8 billion people live in countries with governments that are so oppressive that they don’t even enjoy the most basic political rights and civil liberties. Without the right to vote in competitive and meaningful elections, they will continue to be governed by oppressive governments that have little to no regard for their well-being.

Some may say their one vote doesn’t matter. How do you respond to that?
A voter in California, a state which has over 20 million registered voters, could correctly conclude that one vote wouldn’t change the outcome of an election. However, cohorts that are less likely to vote, such as Generation Z, will have less of a voice when the government is making policy. For example, Congress is more likely to fund Social Security than higher education because Baby Boomers are more likely to vote than Generation Zers.

A lot of students get their news from social media. What is a better way?
In order to become an informed voter, students shouldn’t rely exclusively on social media for information. In addition to social media, students ought to utilize other sources of information that provide more in-depth coverage of relevant issues, such as NPR and BBC. In addition, students should leave their information silos and try to understand the issues that are important to them from different perspectives (e.g., conservative vs. liberal).

Anything else you would like to add?
When deciding how to vote, we should begin the process by viewing the candidates and issues through the lens of our Christian worldview. As Christians we should never be completely comfortable with the platform of a political party or unconditionally supportive of a politician. Our calling is to be followers of Jesus who rely on the Bible for guidance. Politicians and party platforms will always fall short of that standard.

 

Despite separation, CBU ensembles still making music

Wyatt Mitchison, a journalism and new media junior, enjoys singing in ensembles at California Baptist University.

However, COVID-19 has upended ensembles in the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Music. Although they are meeting using Zoom, online ensembles have unique challenges for the participants.

“Due to the issue of latency in doing video conferencing, it is not possible to [perform] together and hear each other, which is a critical component of ensembles,” said Dr. Guy Holliday, associate dean of undergraduate studies and director of bands.

For online rehearsals, students perform with a click track or performance track but on mute, Holliday said. To provide assessment, students record themselves, which the ensemble directors then review and give feedback.

Robert Ybarra, a music education senior who plays trombone, has participated in the optional in-person practice. Up to six instrumentalists with a faculty member may practice, with appropriate precautions, in a rehearsal room in the JoAnn Hawkins Music Building.

“I have taken advantage to be able to make music with other musicians and receive feedback to make sure I execute my music perfectly,” Ybarra said.

Some of the music the ensembles are learning will be performed live in the future. Other music is for a “performance deliverable”—a virtual video recording. This will involve students recording themselves. Then Keep Making Music, a professional studio production company in Austin, Texas, will assemble all the audio and video files, to make it look like the students are performing together, Holliday said.

“It is a time consuming and costly process, but we wanted to create something to show for our work during the pandemic and keep our student musicians highly engaged in making music,” Holliday said.

For Dr. Gene Peterson, director of choral and vocal studies, the online rehearsals cover the same material as usual, such as discussing best practices, studying a portion of the score and calling on individuals to sing specific parts.

“I have to trust that they are understanding what I’m teaching. They will then submit individual recordings and I assess each one,” Peterson said. “It’s basically individual assessment rather than group assessment.”

Peterson said he makes sure to include community time during rehearsals.

“We are being intentional to have time for students to connect with one another and study the texts together from a Christian, faith-based perspective,” Peterson said.

Mitchison said the students want to perform well, but it is hard to blend and adjust to singing with a choir when singing alone.

“We still want to inspire people with our music, especially in this challenging time. And our conductor is doing a fantastic job relaying that to us, whether that be through how we should sing or just inspiring us,” Mitchison said.

Mitchell Collard, a Master of Music student, plays percussion. In spite of the challenges, he said a benefit is that students learn the realities of recording.

In the professional world, musicians do not get much time to rehearse before recording in the studio, Collard said. In these times, CBU’s ensembles are preparing to record music with less time to rehearse than normal, so the learning environments are similar, he said.

“I’ve gotten to experience this firsthand in a variety of musical settings outside of CBU, so it is nice that even freshmen are getting to learn this so young,” Collard said.

Holliday said the directors are making every effort to build community and to ensure students are doing OK during this season of remote instruction.

“We definitely miss seeing them face-to-face and can’t wait to be making music in the same space together again,” Holliday said.

 

Coping with anxiety during a pandemic

More than six months ago, the coronavirus pandemic changed people’s lives. For Dr. Erin Smith, associate professor of psychology at California Baptist University and a self-described control junkie, it was an adjustment.

“I am a planner—really, an over-planner,” Smith said. “At first I felt pretty well-prepared to handle [the pandemic]. … Control via planning is a way of saying, ahead of time, that I can bend the world to my will if I just research enough to make it so.”

“But in the past six months I’ve recognized a fairly pernicious cycle of anxiety, resignation, indifference and optimism, rinse and repeat,” Smith said. “I have incredibly high standards for myself and my family. It has been really difficult to adjust these expectations to the reality of the moment.”

Though she may try, Smith acknowledges she is powerless to grasp control her life and trying to increases anxiety.

“We can see in this moment the truth that God has equipped us with the power to act without giving us the power to control the outcomes. This is a truly difficult tension, especially for someone who repeatedly grasps at control through planning,” Smith said.

Early in the semester, Smith wrote a blog to encourage students to more than just survive the current situation.

“We can thrive if we think clearly and intentionally about what God’s plan for thriving looks like. That is not dependent on any circumstances,” Smith said.

Jeff Biddle, director of the CBU Counseling Center, said he often shares with students that anxiety is not unusual.

“Consider the stresses the average college student goes through: new life adjustment, college expectations, academics, social life, money, time management,” Biddle said. “Then add COVID-19, systemic racism, politics, even wildfires, and anxiety can become the new normal.”

People need to understand the difference between anxiety and fear, he said.

“Anxiety is a generalized response to an unknown or perceived threat or danger and is usually future-oriented. Fear, on the other hand, is a reaction to an observable, specific threat, a real danger,” Biddle said.

For example, contracting COVID-19 is a fear for many people, while constant anxiety about loved ones dying from COVID-19 may be connected to a deeply ingrained fear of being left alone in the world, Biddle said.

Smith advises students to realize not everyone has had the same experience during the pandemic. She encourages students to learn from each other and also to makes personal changes they may want or need to make.

“Use this time to address habits that have always bothered you but you didn’t have good reason to address. How can you practice setting yourself up to succeed academically, emotionally, relationally, spiritually?” Smith said.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help from professors, friends and from the Counseling Center. Knowing things intellectually is different than living them,” she added.

Biddle encouraged students to seek help when anxiety symptoms last for two weeks or more. Symptoms include excessive worrying, agitated or irritable mood, panic attack symptoms and sleep problems.

“Anxiety is like a check-engine light alerting us to the problems under the hood of our lives. To ignore anxiety is to allow it to get worse. To recognize anxiety and seek help is the best way to diminish it,” Biddle said.

Students can contact the CBU Counseling Center (951-689-1120 or calbaptist.edu/counseling) to set up a time to speak with a counselor or learn about other options for improving mental health.

 

First Year Experience still working to build community

First Year Experience looks different this year.

FYE is a peer-led program intended to welcome freshman students to the university and help them transition to life as a college student. Due to the pandemic, events were canceled and the biweekly meetings were moved online. Leader interns are helping nearly 1,360 first-year students learn how to successfully navigate CBU.

Gavin Andrew, the director of FYE, said the interns are working hard to make sure the students still feel welcomed into the CBU family despite the restrictions.

“One of FYE’s main goals is to build connections and community,” Andrew said. “Our interns will share their testimonies during the lessons as well as their own experiences being in college. They also share how they have benefited from the resources provided by the university and ways the freshman students can benefit from these resources even while not being on campus.”

Christian Semon, a civil engineering junior and FYE leader, said he tries to connect new students with people who have similar interests.

“In my FYE sections, I have told many of them that I am always open to talk and have tried to connect a few of them with other people on campus,” Semon said.

For example, he has introduced some students to Frisbee and soccer groups that still meet to play on the Front Lawn.

Semon said that FYE has now added group chats in hopes of friendships forming that students can carry onto the main campus once the university has returned to normal.

Lauren Brooks, a journalism freshman, said she likes how the program allows students to be leaders.

“Being student-led adds a level of personal communication, knowing these people have been through and are going through what we are,” Brooks said. “Right now, as far as communicating with each other, we are dropping our Instagrams into the group chat and hoping connections form that way.”

Brooks said although the pandemic has made everyone nervous, she feels the university and FYE are handling the pandemic well.

“CBU is a really good school and they are handling the pandemic well and professionally,” Brooks said. “Overall it’s been a very interesting first year. Especially with living on campus and learning all the protocols. Even though this is not a traditional year, it’s still a good year.”

 

CBU celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

A mix of Latin music blasted from the speakers in Lancer Plaza as students at California Baptist University waited for their grab bag at Community Life’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration on Oct. 1.

Taylor Altizer, assistant director of campus activities, said Comm Life hoped to instill the spirit of the event even when modified because of COVID-19.

“We’re trying to keep things as normal as possible but still staying within the restrictions of the current climate,” Altizer said.

The outdoor event included a snack pack filled with pre-packaged Hispanic treats such as various Mexican candy and a take-home craft bag with materials needed to make Mexican paper flowers.

Altizer said it is important to celebrate this event since a large portion of the CBU population comes from Hispanic descent.

“It’s educating our campus about the culture and also celebrating them and where they come from and the contribution those cultures have made to the United States,” Altizer said. “A lot of things we have and do can be attributed to Hispanic heritage so it’s important we acknowledge that.”

Madison Rose, a nursing junior, said she liked that the campus was able to have the event given COVID-19.

“It was really cool we can still have this event, so students can come out and interact with it in a casual way,” Rose said. “We want to make sure all students feel they belong here, and these kinds of events can help us get closer to our friends who are different from us.”

Sarah Peters, a nursing junior, said it’s important to recognize other cultures.

“We all come from different places, heritages and histories, and so it’s really important to celebrate that and remember it and respect it,” Peters said.

For students interested in celebrating Hispanic heritage, Altizer also recommends they join the Spanish Club, which will be holding virtual events this semester.

 

Family Updates

Keith Castillo, director of instructional technology, was named employee of the month for October. His nomination included the following statements: “Keith has gone above and beyond his duties in the last several months. The pivot to remote instruction during the COVID pandemic would not have been possible without his expertise and hard work. He created tutorials, conducted online training, met with faculty and staff one-on-one and served countless office hours to support this transition. All of that is in addition to his regular duties and the support he gives faculty who experience technology issues or just want some ideas to improve their course.”

 

Dr. Sandra Romo, associate professor of communication, and Dr. Shannon Leinen, adjunct professor of communication, both for Online and Professional Studies, published an article in the Journal of Liberal Arts and Humanities (Vol. 1, No. 9). The title is Constructing Online Collaboratories: Approaches to Building Community Among Online Faculty.

 

 

 

Dr. Katherine Pang, adjunct professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, published a book, Pauline Perspectives on Living Christ: An Application Bible Study Based on Gleanings from the Pauline Epistles (September 2020). She also published two textbooks, Academic Success and Executive Function/Metacognitive Skills and Introduction to Psychology (both by Cognella Academic Publishing, 2020).

 

 

 

Philip Breitenbucher, assistant professor of social work, presented two sessions at the Louisiana Association of Substance Abuse Counselors and Trainers conference on Sept. 22. They were titled Treating Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorders and Early Identification of Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders in the Child Welfare System.

 

 

Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, presented at a workshop for Grossmont College on Oct. 6. Her presentation was titled Raising Anti-Racist Humans: Dismantling Colorism and Racism.

 

 

 

 

Brian Bovee, assistant professor of computer information technology, and Thomas Jernejcic, associate professor of computer information technology, both for Online and Professional Studies, published an article in the International Journal of Issues in Information Systems (Volume 21, Issue 3). It was titled A Gamification Technique to Increase Engagement in Asynchronous Online Discussions. They also presented the paper at the virtual conference for the International Association for Computer Information Systems on Oct. 8.

 

 

Nidia Torres, assistant professor of nursing, has received a $100,000 grant from the California Department of Health Care Services. The grant will be used to initiate a Medication for Addiction Treatment project at Eisenhower Health Emergency Department in Rancho Mirage, CA. The funds will allow for an increase in the number of health care providers who have expanded capability assisting opioid-dependent patients in the ED.

 

Philip Breitenbucher, assistant professor of social work, and Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, presented a workshop for San Bernardino County 34th Annual Children’s Network on Sept. 17. It was titled Complexities related to Substance Abuse and Maternal Mental Health.

 

 

 

 

The Global Initiatives office helped Chinese athlete-students in the Master of Science in Kinesiology program celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival on Oct. 1. Dr. Larry Linamen, vice president for Global Initiatives, and CiCi Yuan, coordinator of international programs, joined in the event, which introduced some U.S. games to let students experience American culture. The necessary COVID-19 precautions were taken during the event.

 

 

Dr. Daniel Prather, professor of aviation science, had a research project published by the Airport Cooperative Research Program of the Transportation Research Board. It was titled ACRP Synthesis 112: Airport Operations Training at Small Airports.

 

 

 

Rachael Solis, coordinator of alumni events and affinity groups, and her husband, Cesar (’15), welcomed a son on July 28. Jonathan Ezra Solis weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 21 inches. He joins brothers Obadiah James (5) and Benjamin Paul (3).

 

 

 

 

Hector Gabriel Jimenez, assistant professor of music, and his wife, Jessica, welcome a daughter on Sept. 11. Glory Birungi Jimenez weighed 7 pounds and measured 19.5 inches. She joins sisters Sarai, 4, Eden, 4, and Joelle, 2.

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

Intramurals still provide a way for students to play and connect

This time of year, Jacob Klarke is usually playing intramural flag football at California Baptist University. Klarke, a business administration junior, said he has participated in almost every intramural sport offered at CBU, including basketball, football and volleyball.

“It is such a great way to meet new people and develop new friendships. It’s also crazy fun for a competitive person like me,” Klarke said.

This fall, however, CBU had to adjust the way it conducted intramurals due to COVID-19. CBU’s Recreation is offering both esports and one-day, in-person tournaments.

Esports are essentially organized video game competitions, said Marnie Kavern, program coordinator of intramurals. Programming has included Rocket League (vehicular soccer), NFL Pick ‘Em and a virtual run.

“These events are designed to engage students who may be living off campus and have a desire to participate in CBU intramurals,” Kavern said.

In-person sports have minimal contact among participants to ensure proper distancing, Kavern said. Other precautions include limiting the number of participants and cleaning of the equipment. Tournaments include spikeball, soccer tennis, Kan Jam, pickleball and badminton.

Students have been grateful for programming to return, Kavern said.

“Recreation strives to create places that foster healthy relationships and cultivate community,” Kavern said. “Our goal is to demonstrate a sense of belonging to the university, and we have heard of and witnessed friendships created and maintained through intramurals.”

Last year, Marissa Hunter, an electrical and computer engineering sophomore, played a variety of intramurals, from dodgeball to flag football. This year she has played soccer tennis and Kan Jam.

“I’m excited that they are having intramurals this year,” Hunter said. “I really like sports in general and I like that intramurals allow me to do more than just one. Also the people are really great.”

Josiah Franklin, a Christian studies and business administration senior, has played soccer, basketball, volleyball, archery tag and ultimate Frisbee among others in past years.

“The main reasons I play intramurals are for the community it provides and for the sense of competition,” Franklin said. “When I was choosing what college to attend the thing that stood out to me the most was how important community was to CBU and that is what sold me in coming here.”

So far this year, Franklin has played spikeball, soccer tennis and Kan Jam and is looking forward to more.

“I was really saddened when it was announced that CBU would be going online, primarily because I was fearful that there would no longer be opportunities to play sports and have community with others,” Franklin said. “Even though they do not look like they did in years past, I am glad there is an option for something to play.”

 

Students experiment in labs—with extra safeguards

Students focused on their work as they prepared for a distillation experiment in an Organic Chemistry I lab (CHE351). With students wearing lab coats, gloves and goggles, it seemed like a regular lab. Except for the masks they also wore.

This fall semester at California Baptist University, most classes are being conducted through live/synchronous remote instruction due to COVID-19. But there are some in-person courses, which are mostly lab-based or experiential in nature. In these, safety protocols must be followed. Everyone must wear a mask and face shield, wash their hands, wipe down equipment and countertops and limit their movement around the lab.

Chloe Beedy, a biology junior, has labs in Organic Chemistry I and Molecular Biology.

“I was really glad to be back in the lab. This is the one thing that makes me feel like I’m back at school and things are normal again,” Beedy said.

In Materials and Manufacturing Process (EGR344), the lab includes measuring physical samples, mixing components of a solution and performing destructive testing.

Collaboration in the field of engineering is vital on projects, said Dr. Phil Van Haaster, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. However, in the current environment, students have worked independently. To remedy this, lab instructors are finding alternate ways for cooperation, such as requiring students to work off a shared document and collaborate remotely, he said.

“While instructing [in-person], a professor can get real-time feedback from the students,” Van Haaster said. “This interaction is even more valuable in a lab environment, where students are often conducting real-world experiments for the first time. … When the instructor is present and observing the student, the instructor can point out and explain events that would normally be overlooked.”

Dr. Jenifer Nalbandian, assistant professor of chemistry, said while the masks can make it hard to know who asked a question or to read a student’s face, the rest of the lab is similar to usual.

“We’re already wearing gloves, we’re already wearing lab coats. There already is a certain level of hygiene that has to be involved,” Nalbandian said.

The students have adapted to the additional rules, she said.

“I am thankful that we get to have time together face-to-face, since this allows me to get to know each of my students on a deeper level. It has been nice to be able to still safely meet for lab sessions, even in the midst of COVID,” Nalbandian said.

Although social distancing can make collaboration more difficult, Aidan Longridge, a biomedical sciences junior, said he appreciates the measures CBU has taken to mitigate the risk of COVID.

“I definitely enjoy my laboratories,” Longridge said. “Although online learning is really well done, I think it does help to have our labs in person because it helps to cement that tactile, visual learning aspect. Especially when you’re a science student.”

 

Record CBU fall enrollment defies pandemic disruptions

California Baptist University recorded its largest fall enrollment ever this year despite significant disruptions related to the coronavirus pandemic, President Ronald L. Ellis, Ph.D., announced Sept. 25.

Fall 2020 enrollment at CBU totaled 11,317 students, Ellis reported during a virtual meeting of University trustees. That figure is 272 more than the previous record enrollment of 11,045 students in fall 2019, an increase of 2.5 percent.

“Fall 2020 is another record-breaking enrollment increase on top of a sustained 26 years of significant growth,” Ellis said. He noted the increase puts CBU ahead of schedule to reach an enrollment goal of 12,000 students by 2025.

Trustees established the current goal in 2015 after CBU surpassed its previous enrollment target of 8,080 by 2020 five years early.

Ellis reported this year’s enrollment growth follows three years of 600-plus increases (610, 698, 618), one four-digit increase (1,113) and five years of three-digit increases (813, 584, 616, 784, 545), followed by yet another three-digit jump last year (559). With the latest increase of 272 students, CBU enrollment has grown 7,212 on a base of 4,105 in fall 2009—an increase of 176 percent in the past 11 years.

In CBU’s 70-year history, all 20 year-over-year triple digit or greater increases have occurred since fall 1995.

Since Ellis became president in November 1994, enrollment has increased from 808 to 11,317. That means current CBU enrollment is more than 14 times greater than at the start of the Ellis presidency.

This semester, due to COVID-19, nearly all CBU academic programs are being delivered via live/synchronous remote instruction. In-person instruction is limited to essential program features such as labs, studios and clinical placements.

Classes began Aug. 24, two weeks earlier than previously scheduled. The revised start date means the fall semester will conclude before Thanksgiving, allowing an extended break before the spring semester begins in January. CBU officials said the modified schedule will help reduce the campus population during the traditional influenza season when some health officials also predict a possible new wave of the COVID-19 virus.

CBU offers seven doctoral programs and more than 40 graduate programs as well as more than 150 undergraduate majors, minors and concentrations. CBU officials said this year’s greatest enrollment increases were recorded in traditional graduate and online programs.

 

CBU names Ron Prettyman as interim athletics director

California Baptist University President Dr. Ronald L. Ellis announced that 38-year intercollegiate athletics industry veteran Ron Prettyman will serve as the interim athletics director beginning on Sept. 28.

“Ron Prettyman has a tremendous history of success for promoting athletic and academic excellence at multiple institutions,” said Ellis. “We are looking forward to having his advice and counsel on campus as we seek a permanent leader for Lancer athletics.”

Prettyman has 33 years of experience as an athletics director with stints at Indiana State (2005-2015), Cal State Dominguez Hills (1995-2005) and Vanguard University (1983-95). He was honored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics as an Under Armour AD of the Year in 2004 and 2011.

“I am looking forward to working with president Ellis and vice president [Kent] Dacus during an exciting time of transition at CBU,” Prettyman said. “They are committed to building a successful Division I athletics department, and I am eager to help advance the cause in this role.”

Read the full story here.

 

Homeboy Industries founder: tenderness needed for all people 

Tenderness is important when ministering to people in the margins, Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries, told a California Baptist University audience. Boyle spoke during the first Culture and Justice Lecture Series event of the semester on Sept. 17.

“We go out to the margins, so no one is left standing outside of the circle of compassion,” Boyle said. Boyle is also an award-winning author and Jesuit priest. His organization, Homeboy Industries, was the recipient of the 2020 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize.

Located in Los Angeles, Homeboy Industries helps gang members re-enter the work-force through an 18-month employment and re-entry service that teaches them basic work skills. Other free services include tattoo removal and substance abuse resources.

Homeboy Industries is now the largest rehabilitation, gang intervention and re-entry program in the world.

“Every single person who walks through our doors comes in barricaded behind a wall of shame and disgrace, and the only thing that can scale that wall is tenderness,” Boyle said. “There is nothing that reflects the God we actually have than the tender heart of this God.”

Boyle shared stories he came across during his ministries, giving examples of how his approach of kindness and understanding helped young men and women turn their lives around.

One man Boyle helped had been beaten so badly every day by his mother he had to wear three shirts to school to cover the blood. He grew up to join a gang. But after his rehabilitation, he now helps other youth and young men leave gangs behind.

“What he once was ashamed of, he grew to be proud of because he overcame it. His wounds and scars are a reminder of what he accomplished,” Boyle said. “If we do not welcome our wounds, we may be tempted to despise the wounded.”

Boyle reminded students and guests of God’s compassion and kindness and what their mission should be.

“You are invited to embrace the highest form of spiritual maturity, which is an extravagant tenderness. You are invited to take seriously what Jesus took seriously: inclusion, non-violence, unconditional loving-kindness and compassionate acceptance. You are invited to understand that belonging is more than inclusion and that we belong to each other,” Boyle said. “You go to the margins and you imagine a circle of compassion and you cease to care about anyone accusing you of wasting your time.”

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences hosts the lecture series, which is being presented virtually this semester. Luke Womack, founder of The GO Fund, is featured speaker for the next lecture that will be held Oct. 15.

 

Professor examines exercise of religion for Constitution Day

A Supreme Court ruling in 1990 explains why churchgoers are probably meeting outdoors for church this Sunday, Dr. Chase Porter told an audience at California Baptist University on Sept. 17. Porter spoke at a virtual Constitution Day event, marking the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

Thomas Jefferson is responsible for how the Supreme Court interprets the establishment of religion and free exercise, said Porter, assistant professor of political science at CBU. In his writings, Jefferson said the government cannot regulate belief but it can regulate action.

“Your belief doesn’t harm anyone in the view of Jefferson but your actions might,” Porter said. “So government cannot regulate belief of religion but is able to regulate the action that flows out of belief in religion. That becomes a very important distinction.”

Porter talked about Supreme Court cases that have touched on free exercise of religion and public health. The cases involved matters such as polygamy, peyote, vaccines and the Amish. In the vaccine case, the court ruled states have the right to protect the health, safety, welfare and morals of its residents.

In one of the most recent ones, Alfred Smith was denied unemployment benefits when he was fired from his job for ingesting peyote in a Native American religious ceremony, which was a crime in Oregon. The case landed in the Supreme Court, which ruled for Oregon, in 1990.

“It said as long as the law is a valid and neutral law of general applicability, then a religious person is not allowed to opt out of that law,” Porter said. “If the law targets religion specifically, that is a different story. The law against peyote wasn’t targeting the religion, it applied to all Oregon residents.”

The court said people cannot opt out of obeying a law that applies to everyone equally for religious purposes, Porter said.

“The opinion is that in a society where there is a variety of religious beliefs, and we are trying to respect all of them, if we allow people to start opting out of valid and neutral laws of general applicability on the basis of their religious belief, we’re going to start courting anarchy,” Porter said.

In the midst of the pandemic, states have regulated church worship, leading to cases going to court. Rulings have gone to both sides, depending if the court said churches were being targeted or not, Porter said.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom has put churches and indoor movie theaters in the same category in regards to restrictions.

“Gov. Newsom has wide latitude to treat those two entities the same in the middle of a public health crisis, because the state government has the right to protect the health and safety of its citizens,” Porter said.

 

Family Updates

Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, professor of communication, along with the Lancer Media Group coordinates a Certificate in Public Relations Principles Mentoring program. Students who complete the program earn a certificate from the Public Relations Society of America and the Universal Accreditation Board. Valerie Hernandez (’19) and Nathaniel Gibson (’20) were the first CBU students to complete the program.

 

 

 

Robyn Glessner, adjunct professor of history, had an article published as a devotional for Oak Valley College on Aug. 29. It was titled Monuments, More than Memory.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Matthew Rickard, professor of bioengineering, co-published research in the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology conference paper (June 2020). It was titled Development of a novel wearable intraocular pressure monitor based on image tracking of exposed sclera.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Veola Vazquez, professor of psychology, published an article in the American Association of Christian Counselor’s Christian Counseling Connection newsletter (Vol. 23, Issue 2). It was titled Religious/Spiritual Well-Being, Stigma, and the Black-White Interracial Marriage.

 

 

 

First-year students in the physician assistant studies graduate program provided the first virtual health screening event to a group of senior citizens from Mt. San Antonio Gardens, a senior community in Claremont/Pomona. The event covered cardiovascular risk assessments and an adult immunizations update. Cathy Chang Letherer, associate professor of physician assistant studies, gave an educational presentation. Students then met with the seniors in break-out rooms to review medical histories, labs and immunizations.

 

Dr. Torria Davis, adjunct professor of education, and Dr. Thomas Frederick, professor of psychology for Online and Professional Studies, published an article in the Online Learning Journal. The title is The Impact of Multimedia in Course Design on Students’ Performance and Online Learning Experience: A Pilot Study of an Introductory Educational Computing Course.

 

 

 

Dr. Sandra Romo, associate professor of communication for Online and Professional Studies, presented at the 34^th Children’s Network Conference held virtually on Sept. 17. The title of her presentation was Fostering Positive Communicative Experiences During High Stress Environments.

 

 

 

Dr. Gretchen Bartels, associate professor of English for Online and Professional Studies, had a short story published by Every Day Fiction, an online magazine (Sept. 19). It was titled International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Gary Steward, adjunct professor of history, published a book. It is called Reforming Culture: J. W. Alexander’s Christian Approach to Social Reform (Joshua Press, July 2020).

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ed Garrett, associate professor of kinesiology for Online and Professional Studies, spoke to Loma Linda University’s Leadership Study Group, comprising future leaders within the medical profession, on Sept. 23. The topic was Utilizing empathetic leadership towards developing team cohesion: A reflection in self-awareness.

 

 

 

Dr. Amanie Abdelmessih, professor of mechanical engineering, served as a panelist at the Society of Women Engineers Professional Development Conference held virtually Sept. 19. She shared her experiences and views as a woman engineer in both the industry and academia.

 

 

 

 

Russell Meek, adjunct professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, had an article published in the Criswell Theological Review (2020). It was titled Reading Psalms with Survivors of Abuse.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ian Clary, adjunct professor of Christian studies for Online and Professional Studies, had his doctoral dissertation published. It is titled Reformed Evangelicalism and the Search for a Usable Past: The Historiography of Arnold Dallimore, Pastor-Historian (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, September 2020).

 

Dr. Ricardo Cordero-Soto, associate professor of mathematics, had a paper published in the ACMS conference proceedings. The proceedings of the biennial conference that took place on 2019 were published during the summer of 2020. The title of the paper is The Applicability of Mathematics and the Naturalist Die.

 

 

 

 

Diana Ha, adjunct professor with the Department of Modern Languages and Literature, published four poems in The Writing Disorder (Sept. 22), an online literary journal.

 

 

 

 

Ruth Noemy Wheeler, lecturer for the School of Music, took part in a panel at the virtual III International Symposium of Women Conductors on Sept. 15-20. She spoke on Efficiency and Balance Between Batons and Vessels.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates

 

In this issue…

• Current News
• Family Updates
• Personnel Updates

Current News

CBU places high in 2021 “Best Colleges” rankings

California Baptist University has again been named one of America’s Best Colleges in rankings announced Sept. 14 by U.S. News & World Report (USN&WR).

The latest rankings place CBU at No. 40 for Best Regional University. The 2021 rankings mark the seventh consecutive year that CBU has received a top-50 ranking in the publication’s “Best Regional Universities” category for public and private colleges in the West. Previously, CBU was ranked No. 43 for 2020.

The 2021 rankings mark the 15th year that CBU has appeared in the Best Colleges list.

CBU also earned significant placement in several other 2021 USN&WR rankings, including: No. 13 for “Most Innovative Schools”; No. 23 for “Best Colleges for Veterans”; No. 25 in the “Best Value Schools” category; No. 52 for “Top Performers on Social Mobility” (graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants); and No. 68 for “First-Year Experience” (special programs that are linked to student success).

CBU offers seven doctoral programs and more than 40 graduate programs as well as more than 150 undergraduate majors, minors and concentrations.

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

U.S. News & World Report publishes the Best Colleges rankings each year to aid prospective students and their parents looking for the best academic values for their money. Now in its 36th year, the annual comparative listing uses a system of weighted indicators of academic excellence to rank universities. Those indicators include student selectivity, retention and graduation rates; assessment by peer institutions; faculty resources; financial resources and alumni giving.

 

CBU clubs connect with students virtually

The Club Fair at California Baptist University took a different form this fall. Instead of booths filling Stamps Courtyard with representatives from the 60-plus student organizations, the event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Virtual Club Fair took place Sept. 7-10 on Instagram. Community Life created a virtual club catalog on its Instagram highlights (@cbu_commlife), said Taylor Altizer, assistant director of campus activities in Community Life. Students can sign up for the clubs through InsideCBU, the online portal for CBU students, faculty and staff.

Community Life also hosted Instagram Live segments, teaching students how to start and join clubs as well as interviewing club leaders representing each of the club categories: cultural, co-curricular and academic.

“Clubs give students opportunities for building community, professional development and healthy work and life balance,” Altizer said. “Our club presidents are great at engaging their members and making their club meetings fun and interesting, so I encourage students to check out at least one meeting or event if there is a club that piques their interest.”

Presidents from four clubs shared the purpose of their group and reasons why to join a club.

Art Club: “Called to create, as God has created us”
The Art Club, seeks to connect CBU students from all disciplines with a creative outlet and place to experience different artistic mediums while having fun, said Emme Evans, an art therapy studies junior and president of the Art Club.

“We believe that we are called to create, as God has created us,” Evans said.

This fall the club has planned virtual workshops that will use mediums such as watercolor, acrylic, collage and clay.

“I think it is important to get connected with a club to experience community, meet new people and learn a new skill or hobby,” Evans said.

Chemistry Club: Creating a community among chemistry majors
“The purpose of our club is to encourage everyone to give science a try. We want to get rid of the stigma that chemistry is just equations,” said Amanda Sanchez, a biochemistry and molecular biology senior.

Members can stay connected via social media, a new website and virtual events. A mentorship program was created this fall for students who are taking Orientation is the Discipline (CHE101). This program pairs CHE101 students, who are primarily freshmen, with an upperclassman to provide insight on how to navigate CBU and how to succeed in the chemical sciences.

“I think it is important to join a club because connecting with other students can provide motivation and offer connections to teamwork,” Sanchez said. “When I was a freshman, I wanted to find a place where I felt seen and I believe that clubs are great for that.”

Disney Club: Bringing the “happiest place on Earth” to CBU
Mary Shanks, a liberal studies senior, said the club will host a virtual event each month, including a game night, a Disney food night and an art night. The club is working to post weekly via Instagram updates about future events and Disney news.

“We know that with clubs going virtual, student connection is more important than ever,” Shanks said. “Clubs are another way for students to meet new people and to bond with others who have similar interests.”

Asian & Pacific Islander Club: meet new friends and have new experiences
“The purpose of our club is to cultivate acceptance and appreciation for Asian and Pacific Islander cultures on the CBU campus,” said Alohi Chong, a biomedical sciences senior.

The club is planning virtual events this fall such as movie nights, game nights and study sessions.

“Clubs help students to get involved on campus and are one way we are able to influence what our campus represents,” Chong said.

 

CBU student puts his own spin on portrait photography

Before coming to California Baptist University, Raymond Alva, a photography junior, thought he would go directly into freelance and make “cool-looking images.”

He still wants to take those type of photos, but now he wants them to have meaning.

“Going into photography, I just wanted to make cool images, from a commercial standpoint,” Alva said. “[A professor] opened my eyes, that I could do this to help people and to actually shed light on God and bring glory to Him.”

Alva categorizes his photography style as “experimental portraiture.” He experiments with different techniques, such as shooting the same shot with three types of cameras and merging the photos in Photoshop; shooting through material, such as film paper or Mylar; or shooting a person’s reflection.

“I like to take portraits of people, but I don’t want it to look like a photograph,” Alva said. “I think it’s important to be individual as an artist and as a photographer, to have your own certain spin on it.”

He was recently featured in VoyageLA, an online magazine that focuses on artists, local entrepreneurs and small businesses.

“The response has been amazing,” Alva said. “I’ve gotten a ton of uplifting and encouraging comments. It’s truly been a blessing.”

In January, he put on his first gallery show, “Finding Beauty,” at a CBU studio space. The show looked at the idea of beauty and how it is perceived.

“I want to take meaningful images so when people are drawn in, it will help them think about a certain subject,” Alva said.

He has taken photos and created promos for churches and a mayoral candidate, though he mainly works with musicians, creating promos and album covers and taking tour photos.

To stay creative during quarantine, he tried still-life photography for the first time. He also got into film photography and learned to develop his own photos.

The past two years, Alva has learned that all art can bring glory to God in some way.

“The cool thing about creating as a follower of Christ is it turns more into a collaboration with God instead of by yourself,” Alva said. “God gave everyone the gift of creativity and we are obligated to give it back to Him and use it for His glory. All artists would agree that there is a little bit of them in their own work. If this is true, then Jesus should shine through any Christian’s work easily.”

To see more of his photos, go to raymondalva.com.

 

Past offerings helped ease CBU’s pivot to virtual chapel

For Dr. John Montgomery, dean of Spiritual Life, chapel is one of the unique aspects of California Baptist University.

“Because we’re a Christian institution of higher education, we integrate the Christian faith in the classroom,” Montgomery said. “But another way that we’re distinctive is by chapel.”

Although gatherings are prohibited this fall because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Montgomery and Spiritual Life staff were easily able to pivot to virtual chapel. This is due to their experience of offering an alternative chapel the last 13 years for students unable to physically attend chapel. Students must attend 15 chapels a semester.

Alternative chapel started as an audio podcast then moved to video in January 2019. It included a welcome from Montgomery, an interview with the speaker, the message and music. The videos also incorporated TechSmith Knowmia, a learning technology that prompts students to answer questions throughout the pre-recorded videos.

“We learned what works and what doesn’t,” Montgomery said. “Our goal is to draw the student into the experience.”

Previously, video would be pulled from live chapel. This fall, however, everything will be taped without a live audience. The band and the speaker will instead focus on the camera as if addressing the students individually, Montgomery said. The band will be taped in the Events Center while speakers will be taped on campus or at their church.

To keep the students engaged, the message will be given in three 8-minute segments and the entire chapel will last approximately 45 minutes.

“The idea is let’s have different segments so we keep things moving and keep people’s attention,” Montgomery said.

Worship will still include diverse musical styles, said Hector Gabriel Jimenez, assistant professor of music and chapel worship leader.

“The purpose of worship music is to glorify God and that will remain the same even in a virtual context,” Jimenez said. “We’re really excited and optimistic that our student body is going to engage with the songs, be inspired by them and be challenged by them.”

The chapels will be posted on Blackboard most Tuesdays and some Thursdays. Students will have a week to watch the video and answer the questions.

Speakers will include pastors Greg Laurie (Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside), Matt Brown (Sandals Church, Riverside), Ricky Jenkins (Southwest Church, Indian Wells) and Noe Garcia (North Phoenix Baptist Church, Phoenix).

“It’s not everything that it could be if it was in person, but it’s better than not doing anything at all,” Montgomery said. “It’s so important that we’re reminded every week of who we are, who made us who we are and who we owe that debt to.”

Chapels will be posted for the public at https://calbaptist.edu/spiritual-life/chapel/

 

Magnolia Crossing, a new living area, opens to CBU students

A spacious lobby and a grab-and-go marketplace welcomes students to Magnolia Crossing, California Baptist University’s newest living area.

The building’s first students moved in Aug. 22-23. Located near the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Monroe Street, the four-story building can hold up to 540 residents. However, only about 250 students currently are living in the new residence because of COVID-19. Construction on the 161,415-square-foot residence began in March 2019 and cost $43.35 million.

The 93 apartments each have two or three bedrooms, a kitchen, a living area, and two or three bathrooms. Other features include a large lobby that holds multiple TVs; tables that students can use to study or eat on; several study rooms on each floor; and a dining option called The Market at Magnolia Crossing, a grab-and-go food venue.

Joe Ojeda, resident director for Magnolia Crossing, said the place made quite the impression on move-in day.

“Everyone was enamored by the look and feel of the building, which is similar to a hotel,” Ojeda said. “I had parents going ‘Is this a Marriott or a students’ living area?’ It was literally jaw-dropping for them and you could see the expressions on their faces and tell the students were excited to be here.”

Mackenzie Hernandez, a communication sciences and disorders sophomore, said The Market is one of her favorite aspects of the new building.

“The Market is really cool and nice. I like that we have our own shop so we don’t have to go to main campus for meals if we don’t want to,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said she also enjoys the residence for other reasons.

“It’s big, luxurious, and the lobby has sports playing on big screens,” Hernandez said. “I also like that it is not far from the main campus, so we still have access to everything the main campus provides. We can just also spend our downtime in a new and beautiful place.”

Taylor Salazar, a liberal studies sophomore, said she appreciates the newness of Magnolia Crossing.

“There’s more space and the furniture is upgraded, which is nice,” Salazar said. “Meeting people that I didn’t know last year and the new study spaces are probably what I’m most excited for.”

 

Family Updates

Andrew Cress, director of special projects in the Office of Educational Effectiveness, was selected to serve as vice president of the California Association for Institutional Research on Aug. 28. He will start in January 2021, then serve as president in 2022 and past president in 2023.

 

 

 

Dr. William Boyer, assistant professor of kinesiology, Dr. Trevor Gillum, professor of kinesiology, Dr. Amy Miller, associate professor of kinesiology, and Dr. Marshare Penny, professor of public health, published their manuscript in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health (Volume 17, Issue 9). It was titled The Independent and Combined Effects of Aerobic Physical Activity and Muscular Strengthening Activity on All-Cause Mortality: An Analysis of Effect Modification by Race-Ethnicity. The study was also selected by the editor-in chief as a special feature write-up in the International Society for Physical and Health’s GlobalPAnet newsletter.

 

Dr. Raquel Ellis, assistant professor of social work, was recently appointed as chair of the board of directors for the Southern California Branch of Bethany Christian Services. She will serve in that role for three years.

 

 

 

 

Due to increased enrollment in the Department of Aviation, an additional two new aircraft from Piper Aircraft Inc. were acquired. The flight crew, comprised of CBU flight instructors and students, flew the aircraft from Vera Beach, Florida, to the Riverside Airport. The new aircraft are technically advanced aircraft able to be used in all training, such as private/instrument/commercial. This brings CBU’s fleet to 16 aircraft. There are approximately 120 aviation flight students.

 

 

Dr. Kendra Flores-Carter, assistant professor of social work, was selected to serve on the City of Fontana Police Department Chief’s RoundTable committee. The committee voted her as chair of an advisory committee. The new group was formed in the wake of the George Floyd killing and will focus on community public safety concerns and implementing tangible activities to improve service to residents, according to police Chief William Green.

 

 

 

Dr. Ashley Parks, associate professor of public health sciences, presented at a service learning webinar for the Society for Public Health Education on Aug. 18. The title of her presentation was Best Practices for Preparing Students for the Health Education Workforce through the Integration of Practice and Theory.

 

 

 

Engineering professors, staff and students assisted in Riverside’s STEM Summer Learning Labs Program held virtually July 13-31. More than 100 high school students participated in the program that offers opportunities to engage with local professionals in a variety of public service arenas. CBU faculty and staff provided instruction and developed parts of the program. CBU students created lab kits for the high school students, instructional guidance in basic coding, and judged the projects designs presented by the high school students.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Shawn Wilhite, assistant professor of Christian studies, was interviewed on a podcast for Shepherd the Sheep. The topic was on the use of patristic history for the local church.

 

 

 

 

Sarah Shahan, adjunct professor of English, had an article published in the journal Anor of the Cambridge Tolkien Society (Issue No. 56). It is called Joyous Turns: Episodic, Fatal, and Ultimate Eucatastrophes in “The Lord of the Rings.”

 

 

 

 

David Little, assistant director of graduate admissions, and his wife, Jolene, welcomed a son on Aug. 16. Wesley James Little weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces and measured 21 inches. He joins sister Arayah, 3.

 

 

 

 

Personnel Updates