UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT REPORT 2023-24
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
Message from the President
2-3
Record Year of Giving at CBU
4-5
New Softball/Baseball Complex
6-7
Scholarship Information
8
A Family Legacy
9
Palm Drive Legacy Society
10
2024 Rankings
11
College of Nursing Mobile Health Clinic
11
CBU Family Business Center
12-13
Lancer Athletics
14-15
Alumni Award Winners
15
HIRED!
16
Parent Leadership Circle
It has been seventy-three years since the first incoming class of 42 students was welcomed to campus and on November 1, 2023, I began my 30th year as CBU’s fifth president. So much has happened since I took the helm, and God has blessed us through it all. On my first day as President, enrollment was 808—today, enrollment is 11,580—with students from California, across the country, and around the world. Over the decades, CBU has increased degree options (157 total now, including eight doctoral degrees), athletic programs (from NAIA to NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I), and campus expansion from 59.5 acres and 297,000 square feet under roof to 168 acres and 2 million square feet under roof. I invite you to read University Advancement’s FY23 Report and discover a few ways the University has been blessed this past year. From the most significant gift commitment in CBU history to our new Mobile Health Clinic, we offer evidence of God’s favor and the legacy of our Lancer friends. CBU remains a top-rated university where students, parents, and donors can be assured of faithful stewardship and prayerful action from faculty and staff.
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At CBU, we celebrate big and small blessings daily. Because good things happen frequently, I hope you will scan the QR code below to keep updated on CBU. From student achievements and alumni successes to commencements and enhancements – the news you want from CBU is just a phone scan away. It is my honor and pleasure to continue serving the CBU community, and I am grateful that you are part of CBU’s rich history. Your friendship and support of our mission are important to CBU’s success, and our prayers continue to be with you. May the Lord bless you as you invest in things that matter for eternity.
Ronald L. Ellis, Ph.D. President
RECORD YEAR OF GIVING AT CBU California Baptist University received the largest gift in its 73-year history — $28.5 million— from real estate developer Dale E. Fowler and his wife, Sarah Ann. CBU named its campus events center in their honor. “We are extremely thankful to Dale and Ann for their generosity and support,” said Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of CBU. “This gift will be instrumental in our ability to continue delivering upon our mission to help students live God’s purpose in their lives. The Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler Events Center will be a reminder of how their generosity will impact CBU for generations to come.”
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“Supporting education is a priority for us,” Dale Fowler said. “It’s an honor to contribute to a university that makes a lasting impact on the lives of its students and in the areas they go on to work, serve and live. CBU is a remarkable Christian institution and we are proud to support the important things happening on campus.” “Working with Dale and Ann over the years has been a blessing and I am thrilled their legacy is on full display at the events center,” said Paul J. Eldridge, J.D., vice president for University Advancement. “Friends like the Fowlers who invest in future generations unlock
MIA ALISA TAMAYO Senior Major: Biomedical Sciences & Christian Studies Riverside, CA “My name is Mia Alisa Tamayo, I am a senior at CBU studying biomedical sciences and Christian studies. I work at a pediatric emergency room and am also a mobilization intern with the Office of Spiritual Life. My goal is to eventually serve in international healthcare and be overseas long-term. Because of the support of donors, the scholarship I received was not only a financial blessing, but provided encouragement in my pursuit of becoming a physician.
tremendous opportunities to enhance the student experience and impact student lives. It is exciting to think of the many ways Dale and Ann’s gift will help future students reach their educational goals.” The 5,050 seat Fowler Events Center opened in 2017. The 153,000-square-foot building provides space for Division I basketball games, weekly chapel services and commencement ceremonies, among other events.
It helped me believe that I can achieve remarkable things!”
At the spring commencement ceremony on April 26, 2023, Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler were honored for their gift commitment. The Fowler Events Center, where the commencement ceremonies were held, was named in their honor and Dale and Ann Fowler each received an honorary degree – a Doctor of Letters.
To hear more from Mia, scan below:
Thanks to the generosity of alumni, parents, corporations, foundations and community members, $44.8 million was committed to furthering CBU’s mission.
Fiscal year 2023 was a record-breaking success for charitable giving at California Baptist University.
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RYAN EPERJESI Junior Majors: Aviation Flight & Christian Studies Riverside, CA “I am an aviation flight and Christian studies double major. I have really enjoyed the aviation program. Flying has been a dream of mine since I was seven years old. If it is the LORD’s will, after I graduate I hope to do missionary work overseas with a missionary aviation agency and fly airplanes while spreading the gospel.
Front view
I am so grateful for the generous scholarship and the investment in my future.” To hear more from Ryan, scan below:
Field view
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SOFTBALL/BASEBALL COMPLEX Construction of the new Softball/Baseball complex began in the spring of 2023. It provides the facilities needed to compete at a Division I level. The new complex includes:
• A 14,200 square foot clubhouse. • An upgraded bullpen.
CARLY DIRKSEN Junior Majors: Business Administration & Christian Studies Portage, MI
• Locker rooms for both baseball and softball. • Gameday concessions to help enhance the fan experience. • Balconies overlooking both fields, providing a unique perspective with great views.
“I am studying Business Administration & Christian Studies. I hope to work for a business or organization to spread the Gospel and further God’s kingdom. I enjoy being involved with campus life at CBU while also working many on-campus jobs.
• Training rooms for each team. • A new team meeting room, as well as coaches’ offices.
I’m eager and excited to start my new job this year in undergraduate admissions as a visit intern where I give new students tours of our campus. Along with that job, I am also working at our Recreation Center as a customer service attendant.” To learn more about Carly, scan below:
Locker room
Current progress at the time of publication.
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SCHOLARSHIPS AT CBU 2022-23 80
PHINEHAS MAINA Sophomore Major: Computer Science Nairobi, Kenya “I am a sophomore pursuing a degree in computer science. I love coding, and in my free time I also love serving at my local church in the youth ministry. After graduation, my goal is to work for a software firm like Amazon Web Services or Google, and I’d also like to pursue a post-graduate degree in cloud computing. With the gift of this scholarship, I feel confident and ready to pursue these goals and know that I can positively impact society. I promise to work diligently to honor your support and create a positive difference wherever I can.”
5 General Scholarships
College of Health Science
6
18 College of Arts & Sciences
15 Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business
School of Christian Ministries
58 5
College of Nursing
14
College of Behavioral and Social Science Dr. Bonnie G. Metcalf School of Education
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To hear more about Phinehas’s journey, scan below:
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Gordon & Jill Bourns College of Engineering
DONOR FUNDED
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE*
*Some scholarships are awarded to multiple students. These numbers include funded and endowed scholarships.
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College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design
Shelby & Ferne Collinsworth School of 11 Performing Arts
31
=
AWARDED TO
516
STUDENTS
160
OF WHICH ARE
1ST GENERATION STUDENTS
GEOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
89%
8%
CA
OUT-OF-STATE
OLIVIA KULA Senior Major: Intercultural Studies Minor: Early Childhood Studies Santa Ana, CA
3%
INTERNATIONAL
“I want to start out by thanking you so much for this incredible blessing. I grew up overseas as a missionary my whole life and this summer my little sister moved to the States and is going to CBU as well. The major that I chose to pursue is intercultural studies with a focus on global missions and a minor in early childhood studies. I hope to use this overseas as my desire is to return to the mission field and continue to serve the Lord and be a part of the Great Commission.
TOTAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS SINCE 2013
I am overwhelmed at all the Lord has done to make it possible for me to finish my senior year of college.” To learn more about Olivia, scan below:
FY23
FY22
FY21
FY20
FY19
FY18
FY17
FY16
FY15
FY14
93 103 112 120 132 149 168 188 222 245
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A FAMILY LEGACY THAT LIVES ON AT CBU
Lisa Collinsworth
If you have been on CBU’s campus, you will recognize the Collinsworth name from the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Music (now the School of Performing Arts). The School of Music was named after a legacy gift from the parents of alumna and former staff member, Lisa Collinsworth. Lisa’s sister, Leslie Collinsworth Peckels, is also an alumna of CBC/CBU.
Lisa and her parents were also loyal fans of CBU’s basketball games, and Lisa continues to hold season basketball tickets. During the five years Lisa worked in University Advancement, the Collinsworth family attended most events, ate frequently in the Alumni Dining Commons (the main residential restaurant), and loved being on campus. Lisa says that CBU still feels like home and is particularly fond of the older buildings on campus. Graduate, former staff member, and now Lancer Family, Lisa values the education she received and cherishes the lifelong friendships she’s made at CBU. Continuing the legacy her parents began, Lisa provides music scholarships yearly so others can attend a Christian university with a Biblical worldview, and she has made a generous estate gift commitment to the School of Performing Arts.
Students from the Collinsworth School of Performing Arts perform at their biggest event of the year, A CBU Christmas.
After the sale of their dairy business, Lisa’s parents were able to provide a significant gift to CBU. Mr. Collinsworth loved piano music, prompting the family to attend CBU student music rehearsals whenever possible. As CBU’s School of Music was under construction, Lisa’s parents were led to support it. Lisa says her parents felt grateful that the Lord allowed them to be the hands and feet of Jesus through their giving and were happy to support the University in various ways through the years. 8
Lisa serves on the Dean’s Executive Councils for the Collinsworth School of Performing Arts and the College of Nursing. She would tell others considering a legacy gift, that Dr. Ellis and the Trustees are faithful stewards, and if you feel called to support Christ-centered education, CBU is a first-rate institution. Scan here to learn more about the Shelby and Ferne Collinsworth School of Performing Arts:
ESTATE GIFT COMMITMENTS TO CBU
$36,283,587
$16,687,734
$1,010,000
$3,550,350
TOTAL KNOWN ESTATE GIFT COMMITMENTS:
$ 5 7, 5 3 1 , 6 7 1 G I F T D E S I G N AT I O N Undesignated Student Scholarships
PALM DRIVE LEGACY SOCIETY The Palm Drive Legacy Society recognizes alumni and friends who have invested in California Baptist University’s future through a planned gift. Examples of planned gifts include a gift to CBU from a will or trust, naming CBU as a beneficiary on retirement funds, life insurance policies or annuities, and charitable remainder trusts. Membership in the Palm Drive Legacy Society demonstrates commitment to improving future generations through Christ-centered educational experiences. An estate gift commitment positively impacts CBU and inspires others to make the decision to support the mission of CBU through purposeful giving. Estate commitments to CBU leave a lasting legacy that will impact students for years to come. Scan below to find out more:
School of Christian Ministries Athletics
More and more, CBU alumni and friends are choosing to make an estate gift commitment to CBU. Since 2018, $57,531,671 in estate gift commitments have been designated to different scholarships, programs, schools and colleges at the university. An estate gift commitment not only helps CBU but it secures a lasting legacy of impact.
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2024 RANKINGS & PROGRAM OFFERINGS
#1
#2
#4
#5
#6
#7
#9 #22 #25 #26 #29 #30
National Rankings #1 Career Preparation #2 Student Experience
CBU ACADEMIC OFFERINGS 2023-24 | New Majors • Pharmaceutical Science • Sport Performance Psychology • Online: Professional Pilot New Masters Programs • Healthcare Simulation • Educational Specialists (Ed.S.) 10
National Rankings #4 Best College Food #5 Best College Campus #22 Best College Dorms #25 Best Christian College
California Rankings #2 Best College Campus #2 Best College Food #2 Best College Dorms #4 Best Christian Colleges #6 Best Colleges for Education #7 Best College Athletics #9 Best College for Nursing
National Rankings #22 Best College for Veterans #26 Top Performers on Social Mobility #29 Best Value Schools #30 Best Regional University (West)
CAMPUS NEWS
CBU FAMILY BUSINESS CENTER
CBU MOBILE HEALTH CLINIC READY TO SERVE Ranking in the top 10 for Best Colleges for Nursing in California, California Baptist University continuously looks for new ways to serve the local community. The latest venture in the College of Nursing comes from the first-ever California Baptist University Mobile Health Clinic, a full-service clinic on wheels that will provide free and low-cost primary care services to underserved communities. Staffed by nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and students from CBU’s College of Nursing, the Mobile Health Clinic will offer various services, including health screenings, immunizations, lab testing, diabetes care, treatment for acute and chronic illnesses, and more. The mobile clinic will provide primary care for underserved and at-risk neighbors and provide CBU nursing students with opportunities for clinical practice in the community. The mobile clinic was custom-built from Mission Mobile Medical in North Carolina. Its $365,000 cost was made possible through a grant and gifts from generous donors, including the Messner
and Downs families from Downs Energy Fuel and Lubricants. Angel Coaston, Ph.D., RN, FNP, PHN, Associate Professor of Nursing, and Associate Dean, Clinical Academic Practice Partnership, has been at CBU for three years but has been leading nursing departments for decades. Angel was recruited to run, create, and design CBU’s new Mobile Health Clinic (her third “custom-built” mobile clinic project over a 30-plus-year nursing career). Dr. Coaston says one of the most important aspects of her position at CBU is managing clinical and academic partnerships that meet undergraduate and graduate clinical requirements for nursing students. Hospitals, long-term care facilities, faithbased organizations, schools, and food banks are some of the community sites CBU nursing students and faculty serve. Coaston says nursing is “hard work,” but by loving people where they are and representing Jesus, she tries to live up to the name “Angel.”
The CBU Family Business Center was launched in December 2022 to be a knowledgeable resource for the many family-owned businesses in the Inland Region. The Center provides seminars and workshops introducing family business owners to tools that can help them manage their businesses more effectively. Family-owned businesses face struggles that non-family-owned businesses do not encounter. Challenges faced by family businesses include lack of estate planning, ineffective communication, and failure to plan for leadership succession from one generation to the next. Because of these challenges, only 30% of familyowned businesses successfully pass from one generation to the next, many face bankruptcy, and only 4% successfully transition to the fourth generation. Dr. Keanon Alderson, Professor of Management at CBU’s Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business, is the Director of the Family Business Center. He spent 17 years at his family’s business and has written 36 articles and two books on family business management. The Center meets every two months and averages 80-plus attendees per meeting.
Get more information on the CBU Family Business Center by scanning here:
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LANCER ATHLETICS
NORRISA SPAGNER Junior Majors: Intercultural Studies & Photography Riverside, CA “I am so grateful to have been chosen as a recipient of this scholarship for a second year. I recently resigned from my part time job so I could better manage the 18 units I am taking, along with starting my new job working on campus as a Resident Advisor. I am pursuing my undergraduate degree in Intercultural Studies with a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Photography.
CBU TRACK AND FIELD WRAPS HISTORIC SEASON WITH A SILVER MEDAL AND TOP-20 FINISH
I hope that with my degree I will be able to travel and share God’s love with the nations. I pray God continues to work through you all and that He blesses you all abundantly for being a blessing to others.”
The outdoor track and field season came to an incredible finish for California Baptist University as student-athletes brought home a silver medal and a top-20 finish. Greta Karinauskaite crossed the finish line second in the 3000M steeplechase to bring home the prestigious silver medal and secure eight team points for CBU in their inaugural trip to Nationals in Austin, TX.
To hear more from Norrisa, scan below:
The Lancers finished 35th on the women’s side out of 124 teams. CBU was also just one of two Western Athletic Conference teams to score points in Austin, joining Utah Valley. With only two athletes competing, the top-40 placement was an incredible accomplishment. Karinauskaite’s time of 9:30.85 is the fourth-fastest time ever at Nationals and her second-fastest personal 12
time. Greta is now the first Lancer athlete to be named an NCAA D-1 All-American and bring home a silver medal. Yasna Petrova raced in the women’s 5K, where she put together an impressive performance and crossed the finish line in 20th place at 16:16.09. The time was Petrova’s fourth fastest time of her career, and she put her name in the record books as the second Lancer ever to cross the finish line at Nationals. Read more about these incredible athletes by scanning here:
GRACE SCHMIDT Class of 2026 Women’s Basketball Ixonia, WI Grace Schmidt had a standout freshman year on the CBU Women’s Basketball team in 2022-23. Grace played in all 34 games of the season and made 30 starts as a true freshman. She led the team in points and field goal percentage and was second in points per game and rebounds.
MEN’S SOCCER CLAIMS WAC TOURNAMENT CROWN A long defensive battle that was scoreless for 110 minutes went to penalty kicks where the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, Nolan Premack, blocked the first Spartan penalty kick. This led the way for CBU to win 0-0 (3-1 PKs) for the program’s first WAC Men’s Soccer Tournament title in its first year of eligibility. A record crowd of 1,416 spectators for the CBU Soccer Stadium and the WAC Men’s Soccer Tournament championship game witnessed an absolute classic match as fifth-seeded California Baptist took down San Jose State to claim the crown. Defeating three higher-seeded teams in five days was no small task, but accomplishing the rare feat punched the team’s ticket to the NCAA Tournament. They join the 2022 CBU women’s cross country as first-year
eligible teams from California Baptist to make the NCAA postseason. The Lancers won the 13th tournament shootout finale to become the first host program to win the tournament since Fresno State won it in 1998.
Grace was a three-time Freshman of the Week award winner for the WAC conference. She led all freshmen in points and rebounds in the WAC and was named to the All-WAC Second Team. She also was honored as MVP at the WBI Tournament where she averaged 18 points and five rebounds over the tournament. Read more about Grace and her accomplishments by scanning here:
Read more about the CBU Men’s Soccer team by scanning here:
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LIAM ROCHA Class of 2024 Baseball San Dimas, CA Liam Rocha was named WAC Pitcher of the Year for his outstanding season on the mound. Rocha’s junior season from the mound broke records and earned him three WAC Pitcher of the Week honors, but to be named WAC Pitcher of the Year is the cherry on top.
ROBERT LANGLEY, ’70 Lancer Lifetime Achievement Award
METHODE MANIRAGUHA, ’13 Alumnus of the Year
After four years in the Air Force, Robert Langley, ’70, felt called to ministry and that led him to CBC.
Methode Maniraguha came to CBU in 2009 under the Government of Rwanda and the CBU Presidential Scholarship program. He entered the engineering program studying electrical and computer engineering. In 2018, he founded Current Renewable Engineering, Inc. (CRE), where he is the CEO. CRE provides engineering services for the solar industry. Their expertise is in the engineering of solar photovoltaic systems, battery storage systems, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Currently, they are licensed in over 30 states with the possibility of expanding their reach even further. They are working to continue creating tools, products, and services that will help achieve a sustainable energy future.
He served as a pastor for 45 years, with calls to Immanuel Baptist Church in La Puente, Truett Memorial Baptist Church, First Baptist Church Gilroy, and First Baptist Church Norwalk.
From the first eight strikeouts he threw against Oklahoma during the preseason, the right-handed pitcher never slowed down and even surpassed the single-season Division I era strikeout record against Abilene Christian. He was also nationally recognized and named #62 in the Top 100 Starting Pitchers by Division I Baseball. In addition to the Pitcher of the Year honor, Rocha was also named to the All-WAC First Team.
While pastor at Norwalk, Robert was president of a nonprofit housing board that owned a subsidized low-rent apartment building next to the church. It had been financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for low-rent housing. The board had an opportunity to sell the building and the board invested the money with the Baptist Foundation. It was at this time that Robert and other pastors and denominational friends would come together to create SoCal Baptist Ministries.
To read more about Liam, scan below:
Over the past six years, they have made over one thousand grants to California Southern Baptist Convention (CSBC) churches, dispensed more than five million dollars to churches and established an endowment at CBU, along with scholarship assistance for students. 14
In 2020, Methode was awarded the 2020 Emerging Entrepreneur Award from the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce for his work at CRE. Methode believes his purpose is to create, launch, and successfully build stable, sustainable, and customer-centric businesses that address real-life problems and empower people through employment.
PATTY, ’85, AND MIKE GEYER Alumni Philanthropy Award Alumna Patty Geyer, ’85, is the founder and current president of Victory Coaching International. Patty has many accomplishments including helping to complete a $16.5 million capital campaign for the Ocean Institute in the Dana Point Harbor. She was a Rotarian for 20+ years and served a term as president of the Monarch Beach Chapter. Mike Geyer spent 28 years as the methods and procedures manager of operations at UPS Airlines. He was in charge of aviation logistics. He is also a licensed pilot.
These seven graduates are just a glimpse of the thousands of CBU graduates who have entered the workforce in professions for which they studied diligently at CBU. They are Living Their Purpose!
Amanda Low, ’23 Engineer MicroVention-Terumo
Breana Ramos, ’22 Oncology Infusion RN City of Hope
Austin Lentz, ’21 Auditing Associate BDO, USA LLP
Mariana Martinez, ’23 Clinical Laboratory Associate Exagen, Inc.
Evan Allen, ’23 Project Engineer Gray Construction
Desirae Andrews, ’20/’23 Case Manager New Beginnings Residential Treatment Center
Dilan Ajtun, ’22 Residency Fellowship Coor. Loma Linda Univ. Hospital
Find out more about CBU graduates, scan above!
Together they volunteer at Saddleback Church in a variety of roles. They also do disaster relief work for the California Southern Baptist Convention and are members of the Barnabas Group in Orange County. Read more about these and our other 2023 Alumni Award Winners, by scanning here:
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PARENTS STAY INVOLVED THROUGH THE PARENT LEADERSHIP CIRCLE Josh and Emily Hill have three children attending CBU. After considering many Christian universities, they chose CBU for its “program offerings, academics, and quality, enthusiastic faculty members who will love on your kids and treat them like family.” Twin sons Nash and Noah are juniors. Nash is a finance major, and Noah is majoring in Pre-Aviation Science Flight. Their daughter, Sasha, is a freshman with a major in the fiveyear architecture program to complete her undergraduate and graduate work, and a minor in interior design. After a conversation with CBU’s Professor of Finance and Director of the Finance program, Adele Harrison, Josh Hill knew that Nash would receive the education and internship opportunities needed to succeed in the competitive world of a large brokerage firm. Noah plans to become a commercial airline pilot and volunteer as a missionary pilot. With CBU’s fleet of Piper Archers, Arrows, and Seminoles and world-class, state-of-the-art aviation program, Noah is well on his way to getting a pilot’s license. Sasha will be eligible to become a registered The Hill family architect with her Master’s in Architecture from CBU.
ZACH & BERNADETTE ESQUERRA Class of 2013 & 2014 2023 Lancer Hall of Fame Inductees Zach’s 2013 baseball season is in the running for one of the best single-seasons in any sport in CBU Athletics. In 2013 Esquerra was named the ABCA Division II, the NCCAA, and PacWest Player of the Year as well as the NAIA Tournament MVP and made the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team. He earned First Team All-PacWest three times. Bernadette was the women’s soccer 2012 NCCAA Player of the Year and was a two-time NCCAA All-American. In 2012 she earned PacWest Player of the Year honors and made First Team All-West Region in 2013. Bernadette scored six game-winning goals during the 2012 season helping lead CBU women’s soccer to its first-ever NCCAA Championship Tournament appearance.
Wanting to support CBU financially, above and beyond their students’ tuition, Josh and Emily joined the Parent Leadership Circle (PLC) –a group of parents who play a pivotal role in the CBU community and the university’s overall success. The parent group strengthens the spiritual and academic environment at CBU through prayers, service, special events, and financial support. PLC members give generously to CBU on an annual basis. The Hills say that joining the PLC has allowed them to stay involved in their children’s education and remain current on the University’s programs.
To read more about all of the 2023 Hall of Fame Inductees, scan here:
The Hills’ gifts are used to further CBU programs, such as the Student Investment Club, which creates 16
relevant investment experience and ethical financial and investment knowledge. Josh and Emily would tell other parents that the faculty will listen to them and do what is best for every child – academically, socially, and spiritually. The Hills recommend that parents visit the CBU campus and experience the feeling of home away from home for themselves. To find out more about the Parent Leadership Circle, scan here:
Whether you are giving a one-time gift or you would like to establish a new endowment, you can do it all in one place. Visit us online at calbaptist.edu/give to learn more.
California Baptist University 8432 Magnolia Avenue Riverside, CA 92504
Every fall, CBU welcomes over 2,000 new freshmen and transfer students to campus.