SUMM E R 2 0 2 1 • VO LU M E 6 3 • I S S U E 2
THE MAGAZINE OF CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Crossing the Finish Line ENGINEERING STUDENTS BUILD, THEN RACE A CAR PA G E 2 0
CBU celebrates with in-person commencement
Professors share love for data to help spread the Gospel
Women’s Basketball break records and win titles
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IN THIS ISSUE
S U M M E R 20 21 • VOLUME 63 • ISSUE 2
FEATURE STORY
20 Students learn about teamwork as they build a racecar in the Society of Automotive Engineers club. They also experience performing under pressure while competing at the Formula SAE Validation Event.
Contents
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COMMENCEMENT CBU holds multiple in-person ceremonies to honor graduates.
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Dr. Chris Morgan, Distinguished Scholar of the Year
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Dr. Trevor Gillum, Distinguished Professor of the Year
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT Shayda Hernandez, Employee of the Year
The Great Commission
Two professors use their love for data to help create a new tool to connect the global church with unreached people groups.
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Canine Helper
Alumna Jessie Bekkedahl creates videos with her dog, “Professor Ginger,” to teach kindergarteners during virtual learning.
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ALUM NEWS
Women’s Basketball
In its 2020-21 season, the Lancers broke records, while winning titles and awards. 2 | ROUNDTAB L E MAGA ZI N E
Soccer Fan
Alumnus Geoff Gouveia’s love for soccer shows through his art.
PRESIDENT’S NOTE RON A LD L. EL L IS
After a year and a half of unprecedented disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, I am thrilled to have students back on campus this fall as we return to live, in-person instruction at California Baptist University. Likewise, CBU faculty and staff are excited to deliver a more normal campus experience with a full range of academic and extracurricular programming.
As we begin a new academic year, we thank the Lord for His faithfulness during the past 18 months. Stories featured in this edition of The Roundtable help to show how God continues to work through the people and programs that make California Baptist University special.
What a joy it was to celebrate spring commencement in person for the Class of 2021 after such gatherings were canceled for more than a year! Relive the experience as you read about the first 1,800 members of this year’s class who took part, along with more than 780 graduates from 2020 who happily participated in their own pandemic-delayed, in-person ceremonies. Another article recounts the tremendous achievements of the women’s basketball team—clinching the Western Athletic Conference’s first-ever undefeated regular season record, winning the WAC regular-season and tournament titles, then posting wins in two Women’s National Invitation Tournament games. As the 2021-22 season marks the final year of CBU’s transition to full membership in NCAA Division I, Lancer Athletics are proving they are ready to compete at the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics.
This issue of The Roundtable also features two faculty members who used their love for data to help create an interactive website aimed at helping to fulfill the Great Commission. Dr. Chris McHorney, professor of political science, and Dr. Chase Porter, assistant professor of political science, said the Stratus Index will better equip churches and mission agencies to mobilize. We look inside the Society of Automotive Engineers club, which provides CBU students an opportunity to learn while building a race car and then competing with it. This summer the club placed fourth overall at the national competition, its highest placing yet.
Both the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering and the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business welcomed new deans this year, and CBU welcomed a new director of Athletics: you will read about them in this edition. Also included are uplifting profiles of Dr. Chris Morgan, the 2021 Distinguished Scholar of the Year; Dr. Trevor Gillum, the 2021 Distinguished Professor of the Year; and Shayda Hernandez, CBU’s 2021 Employee of the Year. Meanwhile, CBU alumni continue making a difference in California and around the world. For example, Jessie Bekkedahl and her Corgi-mix dog earned accolades for making virtual learning fun for kindergartners. And Geoff Gouveia, whose soccer-themed murals have caught the attention of global brands including Adidas and EA Sports, is motivated to connect with others through his art. This fall marks the 27th anniversary of my presidency at California Baptist University. It continues to be a remarkable journey, and I am convinced that the years ahead are brimming with even greater promise and opportunity. I hope you will enjoy this edition of The Roundtable. May the Lord continue to bless! Ronald L. Ellis, Ph.D., President California Baptist University
THE MAGAZINE OF CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2021 VOLUME 63 • ISSUE 2 EDITOR Dr. Mark A. Wyatt MANAGING EDITOR Vivian Quezada ASSOCIATE EDITOR Amanda Warner ART DIRECTOR Edgar Garcia PHOTOGRAPHY CBU Athletics, Kyle Ready, Edgar Garcia, Vivian Quezada, Trevor Perkins, Giorvi Alvarez, Christopher Kern CONTRIBUTING WRITER Andrew Shortall SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES California Baptist University Division of University Advancement advancementservices@calbaptist.edu 951.343.4226 Alumni and Donor Information Division of University Advancement 800.782.3382 calbaptist.edu/advancement Admissions and Information Department of Admissions 8432 Magnolia Avenue Riverside, CA 92504-3297 877.228.8866 The Roundtable is published three times annually for the alumni and friends of California Baptist University. Third Class Postage at Riverside, California Postmaster, Please send address changes to: CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY 8432 Magnolia Avenue Riverside, CA 92504-3297 Non-profit permit No. 3078 THE ROUNDTABLE REPRINT POLICY Contents copyright 2021 by California Baptist University. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED None of the content in this issue of The Roundtable may be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from California Baptist University’s Marketing and Communication Division. To obtain permission, please send your request to mwyatt@calbaptist.edu. EDITORIAL INQUIRIES Contact Dr. Mark A. Wyatt at 951.343.4474 mwyatt@calbaptist.edu STAY CONNECTED
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AROUND CAMPUS NEWS A N D EV EN TS
CBU has strong showing in American Advertising Federation awards A California Baptist University student and an alumna each received gold awards for their work at the American Advertising Federation (AAF) national awards. The awards, also known as the ADDYs, were announced on June 11, 2021, marking the first time CBU earned two national gold awards. Colton Dall, a graphic design senior, and Chelsea Moore (’21) both earned gold for their entries.
“Winning a national gold ADDY is the pinnacle of achievements for our graphic design and illustration students,” said Mark Roberson, dean of the College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design. “There were about 35,000 entries this year and there were only 24 national-level gold awards given, making winning a national just a little rarer than getting struck by lightning.”
The national wins continued the success that CBU students, alumni and faculty had in the regional AAF awards earlier this year. They won nearly 30 awards including two Best of Show honors at the American Advertising Awards—Inland Empire in March. 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.
▲ Courtesy of Chelsea Moore
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“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.” “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 said. Students and alumni also earned four gold and nine silver in AAF District 15, which covers Southern California and Southern Nevada.
▲ Courtesy of Colton Dall
College of Health Science launches new academic department The College of Health Science at California Baptist University launched a new academic department on July 1, 2021.
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders will consist of the Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders and the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. More than 240 students currently are pursuing degrees in those programs.
Lancer Media Group receives multiple awards The Lancer Media Group, which comprises student-run publications at California Baptist University, earned more than 50 awards during the 2020-21 academic year. Among the recognitions were Pinnacle Awards from the College Media Association and Pacemaker Awards from the Associated Collegiate Press.
At the Pinnacle Awards, 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.
Additionally, the student publications received numerous awards from the Evangelical Press Association, the California College Media Association, and the Baptist Communicators Association awards. The BCA awards included Best Overall: Magazine in the student category for the fall issue of Pursuit magazine.
“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,” said Dr. Mary Ann Pearson, interim director of the Lancer Media Group. Although the year looked different because of the pandemic, Pearson said the mission of the group remained the same.
“We have been intentional about keeping our Lancer Media Group team motivated about telling the story,” Pearson said. “The stories we covered this year may not be the typical CBU stories, but it was important to document this historic year.”
“The programs are getting bigger,” said Dr. Bryan Ness, chair of the new department. “With the increase in size and the different moving parts, the programs warrant their own unit so that everyone feels a sense of cohesiveness and a unified sense of purpose as a department.” Ness said the programs have a lot of moving parts. Undergraduate students need didactic teaching while graduate students need to earn 400 hours of clinical experience that cover a range of populations and skills.
“There is a combination of the logistics of physically placing students and at the same time monitoring individually their knowledge and skill acquisition,” Ness said. Ness, who was hired to help build the graduate program, has been at CBU six years.
“My approach as chair will be to keep doing what we’re doing, because it’s been working really well. We have a great team. My goal is to not get in the way and let people do what they’re really good at doing,” Ness said. “Ultimately for me, being placed in this position is really humbling,” Ness said. “I’m appreciative for the opportunity and excited to see what God brings here in the next few years with the department.”
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MIND. BODY. SPIRIT. “The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 (NASB)
COMMENCEMENT F O R EVER FORWA RD
Celebrated in-person once again California Baptist University held multiple in-person commencement ceremonies on the Front Lawn in May 2021. From May 3-6, CBU held eight ceremonies to honor the 2021 graduates. Another four ceremonies were held May 7 and 10 to honor the 2020 graduates who were celebrated in December with a virtual commencement. To stay in compliance with health guidelines due to COVID-19, the ceremonies were held outdoors. Each one featured approximately 200 graduates and limited guests.
“Indeed, this is the day that the Lord has made, and we are already rejoicing and being glad in it. I know we want to celebrate,” Dockery said.
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of California Baptist University, said the graduates had navigated the various requirements necessary to receive their diploma. They also adapted to changes and interruptions caused by a global pandemic.
“Each of these graduating students has arrived
Combined applications for graduation for spring 2021 commencement ceremonies included four candidates for doctoral degrees, 624 for master’s degrees and 1,169 for bachelor’s degrees for a total of 1,797 applicants.
“Each of these graduating students has arrived at this point because of a shared commitment to the challenging yet rewarding endeavor of higher education. Each one has overcome obstacles to achieve this goal,” Ellis said. “The Board of Trustees, administrators, faculty and staff members join to celebrate and honor the exceptional efforts each of you has made to earn your degree.” Dr. Anthony Dockery, chair of the CBU Board of Trustees, recognized the specialness of the in-person celebration.
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He also encouraged the graduates to use the Great Commission training they received at CBU to benefit others.
“We know commencement is not about an ending, it’s all about a new beginning. We are grateful for all the time these students have poured in to prepare for such a time as this,” Dockery said. “I pray that whatever role [they] move into, that they indeed will be that city that is set upon a hill that can’t be hid and will live their purpose.”
at this point because of a shared commitment to the challenging yet rewarding endeavor of higher education. Each one has overcome obstacles to achieve this goal.” — Dr. Ronald L. Ellis President In his commencement address, Ellis said the ceremonies were an opportunity to celebrate the students’ hard work.
“It would be difficult to argue the fact that we are celebrating an exceptional group of graduates — not only for California Baptist University, but
for all time. For more than a year, the very definition of ‘normal’ has been reshaped and redefined repeatedly as you adapted in real time,” Ellis said.
During the ceremonies, CBU recognized the efforts of several students who achieved excellence in their academic accomplishments. Ane Olaeta, an international student from Gernika, Spain, received the Min Sung Kim International Student Award that is presented to an international student who has made outstanding contributions to the CBU community. Zackary Kessler of Chino, California, was the recipient of the 2021 Outstanding Senior Award. Kessler earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a 4.0 GPA. Amy Payne, a Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication graduate within the Division of Online and Professional Studies, earned the division’s Student of the Year recognition. Payne graduated with a 4.0 GPA. More than 780 graduates from 2020 took advantage of the invitation to take part in the ceremonies.
Carolina Saucedo earned her Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Studies in 2020. On May 10, she celebrated in a live commencement, with her two young children watching in the crowd.
“I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to walk across the stage. I wanted my kids to see that so that they understood what all the hard work was for,” Saucedo said. Mariah Despyne earned a Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and is working as a human resources administrative assistant.
“Obviously, I know I finished school and I have my degree but being able to walk across the stage and hear my name while wearing the cap and gown really finalizes everything,” Despyne said.
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POLITICAL SCIENCE GLOBA LLY MIN D E D
Professors’ passion for data aims to help spread the gospel
Ranking all the countries, they collected the data in five categories: spiritual, developmental, natural, political and social. The Stratus Index includes more than 220 indicators, such as civil liberties, climate change, safe drinking water, ethnic tension and gospel access. The countries were ranked for each indicator, with a lower number meaning the country was more in need or the situation was more extreme.
The goal of the data collection is to bridge the gap between the church’s resources and the specific needs of individual countries and people groups in order to fulfill the Great Commission, said Conrad Prescott, chief global strategist for Radical.
By combining all the data at the country level, Stratus provides the ability to easily filter the information according to the abilities and assets that individuals or churches might possess, he said.
“Stratus seeks to highlight the specific needs of each country and position the church to see themselves as God’s means in overcoming those barriers and meeting those needs,” Prescott said.
The organization Radical wanted to create a new tool to help the global church connect with unreached people groups. It would need data on more than 180 countries from reputable sources in order to create the Stratus Index, available on a highly interactive website (https://stratus.earth/). Radical needed someone to find, collect and organize that data.
Enter Dr. Chris McHorney, professor of political science, and Dr. Chase Porter, assistant professor of political science, at California Baptist University. They describe themselves as data nerds.
While the Radical staff had targeted specific variables to include in the Stratus Index, the two professors helped them identify the most valid data that was publicly available for the indicators, Porter said.
“They didn’t know if all this data existed or what the best data would look like,” Porter said. “We provided a concrete implementation of their abstract vision.”
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McHorney identified nearly 40 data sets to use. He teaches international relations and comparative politics and uses data sets in his classes. While he knew about data from World Bank, World Health Organization and Joshua Project, even McHorney had to Google to find data on the ruggedness of the terrain in each country.
“The ruggedness score for Nepal is off the charts, and that tells you that if I’m going to send a team there, they better be physically fit. But if you send a team to Haiti, then we have other environmental factors [to consider],” McHorney said.
McHorney compiled a codebook that listed and described the data sets and indicators. He also included descriptive statistics for each indicator, which help users of the Stratus Index interpret the data. For example, knowing that the average female adult literacy rate for low-income countries is 54% will help churches understand the desperate need to teach women in Niger to read and write, where the female adult literacy rate is 23%. Porter used statistics software to process the data sets for use in the project. Various data sets measured variables differently, so he worked to make them consistent.
“One of the most basic challenges was amazingly, different countries have different names depending on which data set you look at,” Porter said, mentioning Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Korea as examples.
The index, which will be updated regularly, better equips churches and missions agencies to mobilize and send missionaries, Porter said.
“Different churches have different skill sets within the congregation and have different levels of financial resources. What this data does is it allows churches, missions agencies and others to get a much more nuanced picture of what are the needs in a particular country,” Porter said. Prescott said the Stratus Index would not exist without the contributions from McHorney and Porter.
“With seemingly endless hours of dedicated research and categorization, combined with their heart to make Christ known, both Chris and Chase shaped the entire project in a way that made Stratus relative, useful and authentic,” Prescott said. “The effectiveness and adoption of the Stratus Index on a truly global scale can find its roots in the enduring contributions made by CBU.”
“The takeaway from the project is God is able to use IT and web design folks and political science nerds,” McHorney said. McHorney has been on 10 International Service Projects with CBU, to countries such as Rwanda, France, China and Taiwan. He acknowledged he
did not understand the importance of the Great Commission at first. During his second trip, McHorney told a missionary he believed that if someone died and had not heard the gospel, “God would sort it out.” McHorney is not sure where he got that belief and realizes there is no biblical basis for it.
“The missionary said if that’s the case, we’re going to just pack up and go home because all we’re doing every day in sharing the gospel is exposing these people to potential damnation,” McHorney said. “That’s when I realized that’s why we need to go. There’s just so much lostness. I came home and I told my wife, ‘I don’t know how we make this work, but I need to go every year.’ Because the task is daunting, but the command is very clear.”
“Different churches have different skill sets within the congregation and have different levels of financial resources. What this data does is it allows churches, missions agencies and others to get a much more nuanced picture of what are the needs in a particular country.” — Dr. Chase Porter Assistant professor of political science
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT BI BLICA LLY R OOTE D
Dr. Chris Morgan Distinguished Scholar of the Year
Dr. Chris Morgan, dean of the School of Christian Ministries, was named Distinguished Scholar for 2021 by California Baptist University’s Board of Trustees. He was recognized for his research proposal “Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith.” Morgan has been at CBU for 21 years and served as dean for the past 10 years. He teaches classes such as Christian Theology I and II, Doctrine of the Church, and Pastoral Leadership. He is also the author or editor of more than 25 books, including a study Bible, the Theology in Community series, and the Theology for the People of God series.
What does it mean to be named Distinguished Scholar?
It is a blessing to serve the students, churches, CBU and my discipline.
What brought you to CBU?
I loved the opportunity to teach ministry students in California about God, the church and pastoral leadership.
What is your research proposal?
My proposal focused on my recent textbook for theology courses, “Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith.” The textbook shows how the major doctrines of the Christian faith flow from the biblical storyline of creation, fall, redemption and new creation. Its companion “A Concise Dictionary of Theological Terms” links to the key terms ending each chapter in the textbook. It includes entries from “Abrahamic covenant” to “intersectionality” to “Zwinglian view of Lord’s Supper.” The books should help Christians better understand God, themselves, others, the church, the future, etc. It will help those who want to know more about the love of God, the image of God, the deity of Christ, the Spirit, etc.
How would you describe yourself as a professor?
I aim to bring my love for Christ, students, theology and the church together. I try to impart biblical truths with wise counsel, rooted in love for others and care for the church.
What are your goals as dean?
To serve the church by helping students develop a love for Christ, one another, biblical theology, the church and ministry; and to facilitate genuine and strategic friendships with churches, alumni, students and other leaders so they synergistically strengthen each other. 12 | ROUNDTA BL E MAGA ZI N E
What do you hope to impart to the students?
I long for students to love God and love others. I long for them to invest themselves in the church—for the good of the church, their own joy, and the glory of God.
What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
Whichever passage I’m teaching on. Recently it was Ephesians 3:20-21. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (NASB) God is able to do far more, infinitely more, than all of us can pray for or imagine. And He will be glorified in the church and in Christ in history and for all eternity. The greatness of God, the glory of God, and God’s commitment to His church all sparkle in that incredible passage.
“I long for students to love God and love others. I long for them to invest themselves in the church—for the good of the church, their own joy, and the glory of God.” — Dr. Chris Morgan Dean of the School of Christian Ministries
Dr. Mark Rogers (from left), pastor of Fellowship Church in Beaumont, Dr. Chris Morgan, Dr. Ben Skaug, dean at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Dr. Anthony Chute, associate dean of the School of Christian Ministries SU MMER 2 02 1 | 13
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT EQUIPPED TO SE RVE
Dr. Trevor Gillum Distinguished Professor of the Year
Dr. Trevor Gillum, professor of kinesiology, was named the Distinguished Professor for 2021. Each year, the CBU Board of Trustees selects a professor who has established an impressive record of service to receive the award. Gillum has been at CBU 11 years, teaching classes such as Applied Exercise Physiology and Nutrition Science.
What does it mean to be named Distinguished Professor?
I’m grateful to be honored with this award. It’s humbling. There are many faculty at CBU who are really good at what they do and so many people more deserving than me.
What brought you to CBU?
There are decisions that we make knowing that trajectory of life will be forever altered. This was one of them. As I was finishing Ph.D. work, I had a choice between working in a genetics lab at Texas A&M or CBU. I had never heard of CBU but was interested in working in Christian higher ed. God was gracious and made it very clear that He was leading me to CBU. My life has been incredibly blessed here: I met my wife, we’re part of an incredible church, and
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I get to work with wonderful people in a great environment. There’s never been a day where I felt like I made the wrong decision.
How would you describe yourself as a professor?
Two parts socially awkward, one part dry humor, and a dash of college football references.
What do you hope to impart to the students?
I spent many years in school simply because I enjoyed the learning process, not because I was especially good at it. I hope the students with whom I interact catch some of that enjoyment and excitement to learn. Also, I hope to impart to them a recognition of the importance of critical thinking and a biblical worldview.
You list “anti-sloth living” under interests and hobbies on your faculty page. Explain.
I ripped this off my graduate mentor’s bio almost 20 years ago. When I first read it, it resonated with me and I’ve used it often. At its core, it simply describes the idea that our world is set up for minimal activity, yet we were designed
for movement. Something strange happens as we transition from childhood into the teen years and through adulthood. We move less and less. Scores of published datasets suggest our physical and mental health are worse for it. So anti-sloth living is just a way of saying it’s better to be on a bike than in a car, outside on a trail instead of in front of a screen. My wife often wishes we were Amish.
How is your research related to movement?
My primary research agenda focuses on how the body adapts and responds to exercise in extreme environments. In our lab, we have an environmental chamber that allows us to manipulate the temperature, humidity and oxygen levels (high altitude, high ambient temperatures, etc.). We use this space to better understand the acclimation process to both heat and high altitude (hypoxia). We’ve been trying to determine if we can impact work-output at high altitude in the absence of acclimation. Are there things we can do at sea level to better prepare us for exercise at high elevations? This impacts the CBU student-athlete who will compete in Denver, the wildland firefighter engaged in fire suppression, or military personnel.
Our data right now point that when manipulating certain variables at sea level, exercise performance in hypoxia is often improved.
What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 (NASB). The verse describes the humanity of God: He knows exactly what it’s like to be human, to be so easily tempted as we are every day. And because of this, He invites us to run to him to receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT EQUIPPED TO SE RVE
Shayda Hernandez Employee of the Year Shayda Hernandez, financial aid technician at California Baptist University, was chosen as the California Baptist University 2021 Employee of the Year. The CBU Executive Council selects the recipient from among staff members chosen as Employee of the Month. Hernandez started working at CBU in February 2019.
What brought you to CBU?
It was actually a couple of things. One of my best friends started working at CBU a couple of years before I came aboard and always talked about how much she enjoyed working here. Her praises encouraged me to apply for the MBA program. Once I was accepted, my entire experience prompted me to apply for jobs.
What was your response when you learned you were named Employee of the Year?
I was actually extremely surprised, and I did not expect it or see it coming at all. I received an email that there was going to be a presentation for Employee of the Year. The email stated I was invited to attend as a nominee because I was an Employee of the Month last year. I was under the impression 11 other Employee of the Month winners were going to be there. I truly did not know I won until I arrived and looked over the presentation program. Needless to say, it was a complete shock but a very pleasant one!
What are some of your daily tasks?
My tasks include reviewing FAFSAs (Free Application for Federal Student Aid); processing verification documents, such as student forms and tax documents; adding scholarships to financial aid offers; and having phone appointments with students.
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What do you enjoy most about your job?
I most enjoy the attention to detail and that there is always something new to learn. I also have a great team and a wonderful department of co-workers who make it enjoyable to work every day.
What is your favorite Bible verse and why?
“Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. All that you do must be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NASB). I love these two verses because they provide encouragement for how we should live our daily lives. They clearly highlight the greatest of our responsibilities as followers of Christ. I strive to live a life of action and my goal is to lead by example, not just through my words, so I think this passage epitomizes the significance of that.
What do you think makes CBU unique?
For me, I think it has been the relationships I have fostered among such a variety of individuals. As a staff person and a former student, I have had the opportunity to call so many people peers, mentors, and/or friends. When interacting with staff, professors and students, you get a greater chance to meet and understand the beauty of our differences that have still brought us to the same place with a common purpose.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Teacher makes virtual learning fun with help from her dog When the coronavirus pandemic closed schools in California in March 2020, teachers got creative in how to instruct their students through virtual learning. Jessie Bekkedahl (’02, ’04) had the extra challenge of teaching kindergartners. “It’s hard to keep their attention in normal situations, so online was tricky,” said Bekkedahl. She has taught for 18 years, the last 11 at Emerson Elementary School in Riverside. Instead of paying attention to the lesson, her students would show their pets or their toys, put their face close to the camera or run off. So Bekkedahl brought in a four-footed assistant. Her dog, Ginger, a Corgi mix, became Professor Ginger and was featured in instructional videos Bekkedahl made. The topics included sight words and math. Ginger even showed the right and wrong ways of wearing a face mask. Bekkedahl’s cat, Axle, and a friend’s dog, Hannah, made appearances as well. “It was a way to hopefully be more engaging with the students and bring a smile to their faces, especially when we were shut down and stuck inside,” Bekkedahl said. Meanwhile, “Ginger likes interaction and attention so I think it’s just the game to her.” Bekkedahl adopted Ginger from a local animal shelter about three years ago. One of the first things Bekkedahl taught her was how to “speak.” Ginger is a quick learner and will do almost anything for a treat or a chance to play with her tennis ball, her owner said. Need Ginger to run off camera? Bekkedahl would throw the ball. “The students were more engaged. When [Ginger] would count, they were like, ‘Whoa, how’d she do that?’” Bekkedahl said. “I think by the end of the year, they started to catch on. They’re like, ‘Is your dog really that smart?’” Through the process of making the videos, Bekkedahl learned about recording and editing. She created a
Professor Ginger YouTube channel, and her subscriber list grew. The videos attracted media attention, and the pair were even featured in People magazine. Bekkedahl and Ginger also received a distinguished service award from the Riverside mayor. Bekkedahl said during the pandemic, colleagues encouraged each other and shared resources. “This last year was just crazy. Teachers had to totally transform,” Bekkedahl said. “I think everybody did a good job.” Bekkedahl enjoys seeing her students grow and become excited to learn. “I don’t want them to go to first grade and be done with school. I want school to be fun. Seeing their growth is amazing,” Bekkedahl said. “Sometimes you feel down on yourself that a kid didn’t reach the district benchmarks. But then you look at where they started and where they ended, and it’s huge growth.”
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UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT CR EATI N G LEGAC IES
CBU’s $40 Million Endowment Challenge A generous friend of California Baptist University has committed up to $10 million in matching funds for various School of Christian Ministries endowment opportunities. Through this individual’s deep desire to serve, he embraced being a Christian leader in the business world and his local church. It has given him a passion for Christians to understand and prize their work. Yet, no matter what that work may be, he firmly believes it is a gift of God and a service to others.
Out of his desire to see others enjoy fellowship with God and fellow Christians, this friend wants to invest in students, particularly those pursuing a double-major with at least one of their majors being within the School of Christian Ministries. He believes these students will use what they learn to become Christian leaders in their chosen vocation and profoundly impact local churches.
This generous donor was specifically drawn to the CBU School of Christian Ministries for its mission of discipling a new generation of Christian leaders who will actively serve Christ and His church. He has since developed a close friendship with Dr. Chris Morgan, the dean of the School of Christian Ministries.
“He has been a passionate and enthusiastic supporter for many years. His commitment to the Lord, focus on the students and the School of Christian Ministries, and the sense of urgency with which he acts has been catalytic to the growth of our programs,” Morgan said. “He is a blessing. I cannot express my gratitude enough for all he has done and continues to do for CBU and the School of Christian Ministries. He is a dear friend, and it is a joy to share a life together with him.” The specific new challenge is for CBU to seek $10 million in endowment gifts from other generous donors. When those gifts are combined with his, they will total $20 million. CBU has then agreed to match the combined $20 million, increasing the overall endowment of the School of Christian Ministries by up to $40 million.
Next, scholarships for the Bachelor of Applied Theology program will allow students to focus on their studies as they pursue pastoral ministry while meeting the two-year internship requirement.
“He is a blessing. I cannot express my gratitude enough for all he has done and continues to do for CBU and the School of Christian Ministries. He is a dear friend, and it is a joy to share a life together with him.” — Dr. Chris Morgan Dean, School of Christian Ministries
Additionally, the School of Christian Ministries Excellence Fund provides additional funding to be used for immediate and urgent needs beyond budget dollars, such as scholarship increases, presentations, writings, and other matters that the dean determines will bring excellence to the school.
Other endowment opportunities may arise as we move forward with this challenge.
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president, noted the gift commitment is only the second of its size in CBU history, after a $10 million gift for the Troesh Engineering Building in 2016.
“This gift strengthens the foundation on which California Baptist University was built,” said Ellis. “The School of Christian Ministries is intrinsic to our mission. We feel privileged not only “The opportunity presented will benefit not just the students of to be a benefactor of this donor’s generous heart but to have a today, but generations to come. We so appreciate our friend’s cherished relationship with him based on our common values heart and generous spirit and are excited to honor this challenge,” and goals.” said Paul Eldridge, vice president for University Advancement. There are several ways to invest in this incredible opportunity, all of which will quadruple an original investment of $25,000 or more. First, a Double Major Scholarship is given to traditional undergraduate students. It helps students grow in their biblical and theological understanding of God while focusing on their chosen career path. Their majors must include one from the School of Christian Ministries and an additional major from any other school or college at CBU.
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“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations.” Ephesians 3:20-21
Estate Gift Commitment is Largest in University History University Advancement is thankful to report a recent planned gift commitment of $5.3 million. This legacy gift from an anonymous donor is the largest estate gift commitment in CBU history to date.
“CBU is profoundly grateful for this remarkably generous gift that will help the university carry out its mission far into the future,” Paul J. Eldridge, J.D., vice president for University Advancement. When the gift comes to fruition, the donor intends it 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.
CBU Endowment Surpasses $100 Million When President Ronald L. Ellis, Ph.D., took the reins at California Baptist University 27 years ago, the focus was on growing enrollment. Though important, the growth of the university’s endowment was not a priority. At just $3.8 million it would need attention, but enlarging the student body and the bricks-and-mortar campus was the immediate goal.
Between 1994 and 2015, the endowment experienced slow but steady growth. Then in 2016, the CBU Board of Trustees approved an endowment matching program where every gift over $25,000 would be matched dollar-for-dollar by the University. Because of this forward-thinking initiative, plus the generosity of many donors and an increase in board-designated endowment (quasiendowment), the CBU endowment has now surpassed $100 million.
“We are forever grateful to the generous donors that have helped us reach this $100 million mark,” President Ellis said. “We continue to be blessed by many thoughtful supporters who believe in CBU as a university committed to the Great Commission.”
Student enrollment at CBU continues to achieve healthy increases each year. In addition, the physical campus has grown dramatically through acquisitions and building initiatives over the years.
Now, a new $40 Million Endowment Challenge launches a bold goal to double CBU endowment to $200 million in the next five years, explained Paul J. Eldridge, J.D., vice president for University Advancement.
“Reaching the $100 million mark is a tremendous milestone, but we still have a long way to go,” Eldridge said. “This milestone marks an incredible foundation on which to begin the $40 Million Endowment Challenge. Because of the generosity of our donors, we are confident we can reach the goal of $200 million in the next five years. “The $40 Million Endowment Challenge will play a key role in helping us reach that goal,” Eldridge said. To learn more about the $40 Million Endowment Challenge and endowment matching at CBU, please visit calbaptist.edu/endowment-match.
Donors who commit to planned gifts are invited to join the 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.
Fletcher Jones Foundation Gift Endows Honors Program University Advancement is pleased to announce that CBU’s Honors program will receive a significant update thanks to a generous grant from the Fletcher Jones Foundation.
When paired with a CBU institutional match, the $500,000 grant will fund a $1 million Honors Program Endowment. The endowment will be instrumental in redesigning and updating the 16-year-old Honors program. The endowment will also fund scholarships and activities for participating Honors students. CBU’s Honors Program aspires to produce graduates who can positively affect society as instruments of change.
Dr. Sam Welbaum, Honors director and assistant professor of philosophy, envisions the updated program, “Wisdom and Virtue in Community,” will be instrumental in training leaders to shepherd the global community with civility and grace, one graduating class at a time.
To set up an endowment fund or give to the Honors Program Endowment, please contact Paul J. Eldridge, J.D., vice president for University Advancement at peldridge@calbaptist.edu.
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SAE CLUB
ACA DEMI CA LLY P RE PARE D
SAE CLUB PLACES STUDENTS BEHIND THE WHEEL
K
atie Mast (’21) had no experience with cars when she joined the Society of Automotive Engineers student club as a freshman at California Baptist University. By her senior year, she was the club president and the design lead for driver controls.
“I helped on all the machines, working on building components. My leadership skills have developed. It’s like running a business,” Mast said. “Everything is very challenging. That’s why SAE is so valuable because everything is a learning experience.”
Not only did Mast grow in her ability, but so did the SAE club as it competed in the Formula SAE Validation Event. In their first competition in 2017, the Lancers placed 67th. In the following years, they placed 44th and 31st. In June 2021, at the competition in Las Vegas, the team placed fourth overall. The Lancers placed ahead of all the California schools in the competition as well as others such as Purdue University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Iowa State University.
“We are ecstatic about the results of the competition,” Mast said. “It was an amazing week for the team as we have been able to witness the culmination of two years of hard work pay off. The team left even more excited about the development of Lancer 5.” With temperatures reaching 115 degrees at the competition, the schedule was adjusted to an earlier start time of 5:30 a.m. During the endurance event,
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ACA DEMI CA LLY P RE PARE D
where two drivers each drive the car for a total of 22 kilometers, the temperature hit 102 degrees.
“Even with the hot weather of Vegas, the car performed extremely well,” said Tyler Carlisle (’21), one of the four CBU drivers of the car, known as Lancer 4. “I am very proud of how well our team did at this year’s competition. I am very excited about where the club is currently and know next year’s car and team will be even stronger.” Dr. Philip van Haaster, club advisor and dean of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, said students overcame the heat wave in Las Vegas and the extreme pressure of competing against the nation’s top schools.
“I am very proud of our team and have high expectations for the graduated seniors entering industry as well as the advancing juniors taking over for next year,” van Haaster said. “When considering the engineering effort invested into building a competitive racing vehicle from scratch, this performance is truly remarkable.”
The SAE competition includes presentations on cost and design as well as dynamic events such as acceleration and autocross. The presentations were virtual earlier in the year. In design, CBU tied for 20th place out of 140 teams. In Las Vegas, the car placed fifth in endurance and third in efficiency, which is determined by how much fuel the vehicle uses in the endurance run. Jordan Fabbrini, a mechanical engineering senior and the incoming president of the SAE club, described lessons he learned for next year’s car.
“Keep designs as simple as possible. Complex parts are difficult to try and fix or make and when it’s race day, you don’t have much time to fix the car,” Fabbrini said. “Our car is very competitive with the top schools. We just need to keep making fine adjustments and make sure to test the car as much as we can.
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Having extra testing this past year really boosted driver confidence.” In previous years, the team would scramble to complete the car in time to test it before the competition. The rules only require a new chassis for every competition, but the majority of the car is rebuilt in order to further improve the car’s performance and reliability, Mast said.
“This was a 2-year car, which was a benefit to us to have that extra time,” Mast said. “Next year, the goal is to condense the design schedule in order to maximize our build time and testing time. The goal every year is to get more testing time to improve reliability.” The SAE club has different positions and structure to transfer knowledge. Each subsystem, such as ergonomics, power train and electronics, has a senior design lead, a junior lead who will take over the next year and younger students as interns.
When the pandemic shut everything down in March 2020, the car was about 65 percent complete, Mast said. That fall, the students were able to go back to the shop Fabbrini was the senior design lead for in the Dennis and Carol Troesh Engineering powertrain. The club has taught him about Building and complete it. The team aimed for problem-solving. about 25 hours of testing this year, which is more than double than what they normally “I’ve learned technical, hands-on skills along have, Mast said. Track days were held at with project management, team structure, Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, staying scheduled and keeping people which gave the team permission to use part accountable,” Fabbrini said. “I think that’s of its parking lot. been the biggest thing, learning how other people work and trying to get a group of
people to work toward a common goal.” Josh Bigley (’21) was the senior design lead for the electronics.
network, learn new skill sets, and be a part of an amazing team dedicated to a great project. She is now working at SpaceX.
Lindsay Monroe, a mechanical engineering sophomore, wants to work on roller coasters in the future. She was a driver control intern on the SAE team.
Van Haaster said academic training is critical to developing the theoretical understanding of physical interactions and interdependence. But real-world events require engineers to be practitioners of theory and spontaneous contributors of innovation.
“There is a lot of cool technology on the car. “My involvement on the team was a highlight It’s just trying to get it all to work in time,” of my time at CBU, and I would encourage Bigley said. “I’ve learned nothing ever goes anyone interested to get involved,” Mast the way you think it will. I have this big plan said. “From all disciplines of engineering in my mind when I plug everything in, and it to business and graphic design majors, doesn’t go the way you expect it to, but you SAE provides a platform to gain real-world can try to get as close as possible. It’s always experience and reinforce the lessons that we problem-solving.” are all taught in classes.”
“I was really interested in being a part of an opportunity that allowed me to have hands-on experience, especially my “Anyone involved with Formula SAE will freshman year because I knew it would get be exposed to both of these demanding me ahead,” Monroe said. “SAE is a very real- situations,” van Haaster said. “They will world application. We also get to learn things analyze vehicle dynamics and apply powerful we’ll study later in our years so we’re kind of and proven engineering solutions, while ahead of our class, which is pretty cool.” reacting to unforeseen track conditions during the competition that may require Mast said her experience on the SAE team the team to pivot and re-evaluate solutions helped her grow in technical abilities, in a matter of hours. Intense? Absolutely! provided opportunities to expand her Fulfilling? Undoubtedly!”
“My involvement on the team was a highlight of my time at CBU, and I would encourage anyone interested to get involved.” — Katie Mast (’21)
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT CO L L E GE OF BUSIN E SS
Business dean wants school to make a difference as it grows California. Previously he served in leadership at three other universities and held management positions with American Express and Sprint. He also has served as associate minister or senior pastor at various churches since 2003. Gramling wants the School of Business to make a difference as it grows.
“We have a really great opportunity, which is teaching business from a Christian starting point,” he said. “With more graduates, you change the world.” For that to happen, Gramling said there needs to be community engagement, effective operations and enamoredness.
▲ Dr. Tim Gramling, Dean of the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business
Over the years, business has been tainted, said Dr. Tim Gramling, dean of the Dr. Robert K. Jabs School of Business at California Baptist University.
“Self interest in maximizing income is a driving force for how businesses operate,” Gramling explained. “Maximizing income is helpful, but the way you get there is the trouble. And when you get there without a Christian worldview, it just goes terribly sideways. It becomes this selfish, ‘How can I take advantage of what the people don’t know yet?’”
For community engagement, Gramling has become involved in the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce and spoken with school administrators. The school also needs to get to know employers, what they need and, in turn, help employers understand that they need people who know how to do sustainable growth in the long term, Gramling said. Second, efficiency.
“We need to get good at adjusting the curriculum effectively to meet what the need is in the community,” Gramling said. “We have to be more nimble.” The final step is getting people enamored with the school, he said.
Gramling said scandals involving Theranos, hedge funds, Enron and others reflect the “greed is good” “We’ve got to get to the point where people see us sentiment expressed by Gordon Gecko in the movie and think of something different than just the typical “Wall Street.” business school,” Gramling said. “Where people look at the Jabs School and they think of a respectable and But contrary to that notion, Gramling, who became dean respected brand.” April 1, 2021, wants to grow the School of Business from a Christian worldview. Action taken in these steps have included faculty calling prospective students interested in the School “There’s clearly a growth opportunity [at the School of Business and helping alumni connect with each other. of Business] and this is something I’ve been prepared Gramling wants people to know the world’s system of for because I’ve done it a lot of times in my career,” business is a cruel and unforgiving system. Gramling said. “You better be living for something beyond worldly Gramling brings business, higher education and success, because if that’s all you’ve got, that’s not going ministry experience to his new role. He most recently to help you,” he said. “As you know, in the old hymns the served as executive director at UEI College in Gardena, saints used to say, only what you do for God will last.” 24 | ROUNDTA BL E MAGA ZI N E
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
C O LLE G E OF E NGINE E RING
Engineering dean brings behind-the-scenes knowledge Dr. Phil van Haaster, new dean of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, worked in the private sector for 27 years. He had the unique experience of developing mechanical solutions to electrical problems for most of Silicon Valley’s global organizations.
Early in his career, van Haaster’s designing skills led to nearly a dozen awarded patents in the field of electro-mechanical interference. Van Haaster worked his way into executive leadership, becoming responsible for product design, manufacturing and market development.
Two of his sons attended the College of Engineering at CBU. Van Haaster saw the leadership skills they learned alongside the technical training. Between that and his enjoyment of mentoring new engineers, he transitioned from industry to focus on developing young talent at an academic level.
“I wanted to train engineering graduates to be practitioners and give them the behind-the-scenes knowledge,” van Haaster said. He started at CBU in spring 2020. He stepped into the dean role July 1, 2021.
“I have a lot of experience with developing people, and engineers are a different breed,” van Haaster said. “They may be an excellent student, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into being a great employee. I can recognize that, and I can help students realize how to be a successful contributor to their organization.” His overall plan is to bring the outside industry into academia, he said. One way of doing that is exposing the junior design and capstone teams to professional critique in addition to the wealth of experience from their college instructors.
Van Haaster also wants to make the students practice the theory they learn in the classroom, experiencing first-hand the frustration of failure and the excitement success creates. That type of learning is one reason why engineering students are required to do an internship.
“We want them to learn the efforts required when job hunting and the need to properly present engineering
accomplishments. Students will go through disappointment and failure and then try again. That builds up resilience, which is a huge thing for engineers,” van Haaster said.
▲ Dr. Phil van Haaster, Dean of the Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering
Van Haaster said he wants students to have the proper outlook when they start their careers.
“They have a vision when they graduate of what things are going to be like. They’re going to be the next Elon Musk. I really want my students to go out there with the right perspective of what they’re going to contribute to the organization,” van Haaster said. “They need to have dreams, but they should remember to first address the deadlines assigned by their managers.” He also wants to make the students better Christlike ambassadors.
“If they keep that Christ perspective and that Christ worldview as they go to work, it will be recognized,” van Haaster said. “I want them to have that and understand that they’re protected. They may not be protected from every challenge the world offers, but their spirit is protected and there’s nothing that is going to take them away from God and from Jesus Christ. Let’s have an eternal perspective about things.”
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LANCER ATHLETICS WOMEN ’S BASK E TB AL L
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L
ike other collegiate sports, the California Baptist University women’s basketball team had its 2019-20 season cut short by COVID-19.
Coming back in 2020-21, the team made up for lost time by breaking records, winning titles and awards. The Lancers clinched the Western Athletic Conference’s first-ever undefeated regular season record. They won the WAC regular-season and tournament titles and a pair of games in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). At the beginning of the season, Jarrod Olson, head coach, was looking at the team’s schedule with an assistant. “I said, we have a chance to win all the games,” Olson said. “It was just an offhand comment.” Then the team started doing just that.
About halfway through the season, “I just decided to stop thinking about it so much because there wasn’t really much you could do other than just try to focus on the next game,” Olson said.
The Lancers went undefeated in the regular season (24-0), with a 14-0 conference record. The team qualified for the WNIT and won the program’s first two D-I playoff games to reach the quarterfinals. The team ultimately ended the season 26-1. “I think in the beginning we were somewhat surprising ourselves. Initially, it was a small joke on our team to not break our winning streak, but once we became 10-0, we came to realize that this was the real deal, that this was going to be a special year,” said Georgia Dale, a guard chosen for the WAC Media Preseason Second Team. “As we kept winning, we had more determination to keep our winning streak alive. We knew we
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LANCER ATHLETICS WOMEN ’S BASK E TB AL L
were capable of accomplishing big things for our program,” said Caitlyn Harper, a forward who earned Second Team All-WAC honors.
Olson earned his second WAC Coach of the Year award. He also received the 2020-21 Kay Yow Coach of the Year award, which is presented annually to the Division I women’s head coach who embodies a winning spirit while displaying great character, on and off the court.
Olson credits the Lancers’ success to the players.
“We’ve had some really talented players that buy into the value structure of our team. I think the selflessness component is probably a big one,” Olson said. “I think when they give up part of themselves, they end up becoming better individually as well as making the collective better. I think we’ve been pretty fortunate to have players that have been willing to do that.” The team’s values are painted on Olson’s office wall: committed, humility, resilient, integrity, selflessness and trust. “I’m just trying to embody those qualities and impart them onto the team,” Olson said. “I hope that I coach in a way that really represents Christ and our school.”
Olson said the awards belong to more than just him.
“The coach is obviously the leader of the group, but the leader is only as effective as the followers will be. To me, it’s a good team award because there’s so many people that go into our team success,” Olson said. “It really just shows how good of a job the whole group did.” Ane Olaeta, a guard, earned WAC Player of the Year.
“It was obviously a great recognition to receive,” Olaeta said. “I would not be the player I am today if it were not because of all my coaches and all the players I have played with these last years. I am forever grateful for them.” Along the way, Olson marked his 200th career victory at CBU. At the end of the season, his winning percentage was 74.8. Over the years, CBU’s rise took the women’s basketball team from a NAIA powerhouse to a pair of D-II Finals to an undefeated D-I season.
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His players appreciate his coaching.
“Coach Olson coaches in a way that allows us to play a fast-paced game, allowing us to use each of our strengths on the court,” Harper said. “He holds us to a high standard and allows us to use our competitiveness every day in practice. He trusts us on the court and is focused on helping us reach our goals as a team.” “He has a genuine love and care for his players and staff and knows how to lead a team both professionally and personally,” Dale said. “He has great passion towards basketball which you can truly see when he coaches. The way in which he scrutinizes each possession and somehow identifies the smallest of details that can dramatically help a player has been inspiring to watch.”
Olson is looking forward to playing in front of crowds again. He said he and the team would have loved to have shared the past season with the fans.
“There’s a human element to sports that makes it really cool. You had to really depend on your teammates and your coaches a little bit more for that,” Olson
said. “We’re really looking forward to having people back next year so we can share the experience with them.”
This coming season will be CBU’s final year of a four-year transition period from Division II to Division I. During that time teams are not eligible to compete in the NCAA tournament.
Due to COVID-19, the NCAA gave studentathletes an extra year of eligibility to play. Because of that, the Lancers are planning on returning most of their team. The schedule is probably the toughest schedule in the history of the school, which Olson finds exciting. “I’m pretty sure we’ll lose more than one game, but I think it’ll do a lot for us,” Olson said. “I like seeing how much better we can get and pushing ourselves with different challenges throughout the year. Sometimes we’re going to fail, but I think that’ll definitely make us stronger in the end.”
FAVORITE MEMORY Jarrod Olson, head coach
“I really enjoy just watching them get so excited. When we won the conference tournament or when we won a couple games at the WNIT, you could see the genuine joy that they had and the love they had for playing the game and also with each other. I really love watching that, seeing them be so happy.”
Georgia Dale, guard
“My favorite memory was travelling with my team toward the end of the season. It had been a long year and through that, we had all become so dependent on one another both physically, mentally and emotionally. I was able to travel around the country with some of my greatest friends and that is a sheer blessing in itself. We shared some really special times together.”
Caitlyn Harper, forward
“One of my favorite memories from this past season was our run in the WNIT. We were proud of the regular season that we had but were able to make a run in the postseason as well, which was one of our goals throughout the year. I think making this run helped us gain some national attention and showed people who CBU women’s basketball is.”
Ane Olaeta, guard
“One of the best moments this season was when we beat GCU twice at home. That whole week of practice was intense. You could feel everybody was getting nervous because those two games were the most important ones to win the WAC regular season. I remember everybody on the team was excited and that was translated on the court. Everybody was committed to each other, and we trusted each other, which led to the victory. That was the first time cutting a net in Division I for CBU and also for me, so it was pretty special.”
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LANCER ATHLETICS SPORTS RECAP
California Baptist University Athletics pushed through a unique and challenging 2020-21 season to put together another banner year. There was plenty of history made along the way, with a number of postseason firsts at the NCAA Division I level and a total of seven team conference championships won.
TYLER MARIUCCI NAMED CBU DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Tyler Mariucci became the director of Athletics at California Baptist University on May 24, 2021. Mariucci has worked in leadership roles at NCAA Division I institutions spanning the Big Ten, West Coast Conference, and Mountain West Conference during great transformation and change, including multiple conference realignments and significant increases in revenue generation. “I’m very excited and honored to become the next director of Athletics at CBU during this transformational time in the university’s history,” Mariucci said. The Lancers are in the final year of CBU’s four-year transition to NCAA Division I status.
ACADEMICS CBU continued its trend of academic success in 2020-21, as the Lancers posted their best-ever department grade-point average in an academic year with a 3.461. It marked the seventh time in the last eight years and third year in a row the Lancers have set a new GPA record in an academic year.
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Breaking it down by semester, CBU had a 3.454 GPA in the fall and a 3.468 in the spring, which were the second and third best semester GPAs for the department over the last six years. The record was 3.475, which was set in the spring of 2020. Eighteen of 19 CBU teams logged a GPA of at least 3.24 and seven maintained GPAs above 3.5.
been accomplished one other time in WAC history and led to Coach Adam Tribble being voted the WAC Coach of the Year for the men and women, while the Lancers produced 14 all-conference finishers.
BASEBALL The Lancers continued one of the best-ever transitions to NCAA Division I of any baseball team. CBU went 40-16 overall to become just the second team to win 40 games in one of its first two transition seasons out of 49 teams that have made the move since 1998. The team also won a share of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) title for the second time in as many opportunities. The Lancers have gone 75-35 over their first two full years in Division I (2019 and 2021), which is the second most wins by a program in its first two full D-I seasons.
STUNT
The women’s STUNT program put together a tremendous debut season in 2020-21. The Lancers had a perfect 15-0 season and won the West Coast Conference and DI/DII STUNT National Championship.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
CBU reached its first-ever WAC Tournament and finished the season at 13-10 overall and 6-6 in conference play. Head Coach Rick Croy recorded his 300th career victory as a head coach in December 2020 to become one of the youngest coaches in college hoops to reach that milestone.
MEN’S WATER POLO
Men’s water polo became the first team in school history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. It all came after CBU won the program’s first-ever Western Water Polo Association Championship.
CROSS COUNTRY CBU pulled off the perfect sweep at the WAC Cross Country Championships. The Lancers won both the team and individual titles on the men’s and women’s sides. It’s a feat that had only
The Lancers put together a 7-5 record overall by winning three of their final four games. There were a number of program and school firsts along the way. CBU defeated a single-season record six top-10 teams and reached its highest-ever NCAA ranking at sixth overall, which is where it finished the year.
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LANCER ATHLETICS SPORTS RECAP
WRESTLING
TRACK
The future is bright for CBU wrestling after it accepted conditional membership status from the Big 12 Conference for the 2022-23 season. The Lancers produced their first-ever ranked wrestler in NCAA Division I in January. The team is also set to return eight of their 10 starters next season and will pair that with what Lennie Zalesky, head coach, has called one of the best recruiting classes in program history.
Despite less than a two-week layoff between the cross country and track seasons, the Lancers showed no sign of fatigue. Overall, the team set a total of 26 new top-10 times—split evenly between the men and women—in just six meets. It led into CBU’s most impressive WAC Track Championships to date, as the Lancers produced a total of 17 all-conference finishers at the conference meet, with three champions and nine first teamers (five women, four men). Both teams scored their most points yet at the WAC Championships, with 61 on the men’s side and 60 for the women, for program-best, fifth place finishes on both sides.
VOLLEYBALL The Lancers started and finished strong in the shortened 2021 season. CBU began its campaign with four-straight wins and closed it out with three consecutive victories. It helped the team finish the year 8-8 for their 16th season with a record of .500 or better over the last 17 years.
SOFTBALL
WOMEN’S WATER POLO CBU matched its best-ever NCAA ranking at No. 17 in the country, which is where they spent six weeks this season, including the final poll of the year. The Lancers’ top-four seed and finish in the Golden Coast Conference tied for the secondbest marks in program history, as well.
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The Lancers’ all-time wins leader Mike Smith returned as head coach in June. Smith was previously the head coach at the University of Mississippi for five years (2015-19), where he posted a 187-112 record and led Ole Miss to four NCAA Tournaments, including a pair of Super Regional appearances. Smith was previously at the helm of the CBU softball program for eight seasons (2004-11) and compiled a 467-56 (.893) record that included the 2009 NAIA national championship. He will take over a CBU program, alongside Bill Baber, associate head coach, that won 21 games and tied for fourth in the WAC standings this season.
WOMEN’S SOCCER CBU finished the year going 10-4-3 and 8-4-2 in the Western Athletic Conference. The Lancers finished third in the conference standings and produced a NCAA Division I era-best eight student-athletes on the All-WAC Teams. Senior Rola Badawiya was also named United Soccer Coaches All-Pacific Region Second Team for the second straight season.
SWIM AND DIVE CBU recorded 18 new top-10 marks this season, which consisted nearly entirely of duals due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancers ended the year with another strong showing at the WAC Championships, as they won a total of five conference titles and secured 14 other all-conference/top-three finishes. Jeff Couto was named the 2021 WAC Men’s Diving Coach of the Year and Evan Honer was voted the Men’s Diver of the Year after he won all three diving events at the WAC meet.
MEN’S GOLF CBU finished the year strong at the Western Athletic Conference Championships, as sophomore James Mackie recorded the highest finish at the WAC Tournament with a second-place finish. The team recorded its highest finish at the UC Santa Barbara Invitational, where they took third out of 10 teams.
MEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S GOLF
CBU put together 6-4-2 overall and 5-4-1 Western Athletic Conference records with a young team in a challenging league. Nevertheless, the Lancers finished fourth place in the WAC, just a point out of third. The team ranked second in the conference with 20 goals scored over 12 games and logged four shutouts defensively.
CBU had another excellent season, producing five top-four finishes in the five team tournaments it participated in the spring. Sofia Chabon and Hailey Loh were both named All-WAC Second Team, marking the seventh consecutive season the Lancers have produced multiple all-conference honors. CBU also had five student-athletes named to the WGCA All-American Scholar Team. SU MMER 2 02 1 | 33
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Artist scores with his passion Geoff Gouveia (‘13) loves soccer. It shows in his work as an artist and what he does with his free time.
In 2014, Gouveia attended the World Cup in Brazil, which led him to start building his art portfolio around the sport. He has painted murals for the Los Angeles Football Club and the U.S. Soccer Foundation and painted soccer shoes as part of a project for Adidas during the 2018 World Cup. He has organized an indoor soccer league at his church, The Grove Community Church in Riverside. Gouveia and a friend hope to build two small soccer fields in Riverside and rent them. He is also doing marketing for a company that sells soccer fields.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Gouveia said of having his work in a video game played by millions. “I play a lot of FIFA, so for me to have a name-drop project that a lot of people would know is cool. It also just happened to match up with some of my interests, and I don’t think that happens for a lot for people.”
“I love the sport and I love the community around it,” Gouveia said. Gouveia started playing soccer at age 5 to hang out with his older brother. He remembers the Christmas his mom finally caved and gave the boys a PlayStation with one game—FIFA 2004. He has owned every single FIFA game since.
“The idea of FIFA and friendship have never been separated. I’ve met so many people who I have forced to play the game because that’s what I love to do,” Gouveia said.
Gouveia discovered in his travels abroad that knowing how to play soccer is like being able to speak a different language.
“The assumption when you travel is that Americans don’t know how to play soccer, and so when you do, you have a different level of prestige,” he said. “You just have an instant connection, so I’ve used soccer as a connection point.” So when EA Sports approached him to design graphics for the FIFA 2020 video game, it was a no-brainer. His digital work for the game included court designs and other assets.
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Gouveia has turned a lot of surfaces into his canvas: sides of buildings, interior walls, courts—basketball and futsal (soccer)—and skateboards. He has painted murals in Riverside, Los Angeles, Brazil and Chile. He has created art for Facebook, Starbucks and Coca-Cola.
“I prefer large surfaces, like outside of buildings where everyone can view them,” Gouveia said. “I don’t personally enjoy the gallery setting. I don’t like the private setting because it does feel like a barrier to connecting with
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
an audience. Anything could be my canvas, but I do prefer to go big.”
It was his work on a soccer court in Watts in Los Angeles for Adidas and a nonprofit that attracted the attention of the art director at EA Sports.
“The journey to get those gigs were all quite long to get there. As you get more big-name clients, it gets a little bit easier to get the next one because people just trust that you can handle that sort of pressure and the art directors want to work with people who have worked with other big names,” Gouveia said.
Gouveia said he never wanted to be the artist who is stuck in his own studio and does not interact with people. Even his Instagram tagline says he creates to connect.
“To have that community is very important to me,” Gouveia said. “My whole thing is I just take what I like and apply it to business.”
Coffee is another opportunity for community. He enjoys drinking the beverage and connecting with others at a coffee shop, whether with the barista or with friends. He also has done marketing for a coffee shop and for Alto, a company that sells cold brew filters and where he is a partner. Gouveia is at a crossroads in his career. Over the past several years, he has found that he enjoys working with art directors and trying to solve problems in their businesses. Then he had to let go his few employees when the pandemic hit and freelance work stopped. Now, he is turning his creativity away from the traditional canvas toward things that are more sustainable in the future.
“I think freelance is a great thing right out of school because it teaches you how to get kicked in the teeth and keep moving. It teaches you how to be resilient and how to go after what you want,” Gouveia said. “But as I get older, my vision is shifting away from the freedom and liberty of freelance and going more toward, how can I build a business that is sustainable and that not only provides for myself but also for future employees?” Gouveia appreciated how his professors at California Baptist University, especially Duncan Simcoe, professor of visual arts, prepared him for life after college.
“I came to CBU knowing I wanted to be different. I wanted to be my own person. I just didn’t know how to do it. Leaving CBU, I left without the answers, but I had the framework to build that person,” Gouveia said. “I felt like I had the confidence to take on the real world even though I knew it was going to be really difficult.”
“Simcoe allowed me to ask questions, ask stupid questions, ask good questions and get answers. And then he was also a source of encouragement to keep going when I didn’t even know what I was doing. I believe that’s the mentality, especially in the world of creativity, you have to really just keep putting one foot in front of the other.” We are looking for alumni who are living their purpose! If you know of a classmate that should be celebrated for their talents, accomplishments, giving spirit, prayerful heart—for using their gifts to further their purpose in this world, then we want to hear from you! Email us at alumni@calbaptist.edu. Don’t be afraid to
nominate yourself either!
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Alum news ’60s
Jerry Baker (’68) and his wife, Brigitte, moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in May 2020 in time for the birth of their first grandson, Auron Scott Baker. They are working to open a satellite office of Immigrant Hope, a nonprofit immigration processing office.
’70s
Tom Stringfellow (’70) and his wife, Riett, celebrated 57 years of marriage on Valentine’s Day. After 50 years, he retired as pastor.
Walt (’62) and Marilyn Crabtree (’62) celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on June 10, 2021.
Joyce Evans (’72) and her husband, Floyd Evans, now live in Georgetown, Texas.
in the travel and cruise ship industry, traveling to all seven continents. Timothy Bender (’82) retired after 45 years as a pastor to the deaf. He served as a missionary to the deaf and consultant on deaf ministries for the Kentucky Baptist Convention. He and his wife, Lindy, live in Taylorsville, Kentucky. Carol Headen (’82) has moved to Sydney, Australia, to live closer to his son and daughter-in-law.
’90s
Rebecca Pellegrini (nee Yarbrough, ’95) is a technical writer for a computer software company. She also teaches piano and voice and directs two a cappella groups. She and her husband reside in Vancouver, Washington. Chris Barrows (’99/’04) was named principal of Aquinas High School. In 2017 he was named Distinguished Principal of the Year and in 2019 he completed his Ed.D. at the University of Southern California.
’00s Ted (’62) and Betty Campbell (nee Akins, ’63) celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August 2020. Robert “Bob” (’63) and his wife Glenda Signs (nee Moore, ’63) celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in January 2021. Bob has retired from Southwestern Seminary. Vi Estel (’64) retired from her position as the director of senior adult ministries at Magnolia Church after 15 years of service. She plans to continue as a volunteer with the senior adult choir, a program started by her husband, Curt, who passed away in 2006. Morris Vickers (’64) has retired after 34 years of full-time ministry and owner of Financial Security Advisors Inc. He resides in Rogers, Arkansas, with his wife of 43 years, Twyla.
2021. Noah is the child of Carol’s son Jonathan and his wife.
Jonathan McCormick (’08) completed his Ph.D. in theology from Gateway Seminary in 2018 and earned his Master of Library and Information Science from San Jose State University in 2020. His wife, Amanda (nee Sheridan, ’09) completed her Master of Art in Educational Leadership from Gateway Seminary in 2018 and was honored with giving an address at the commencement ceremony. Jonathan works as the campus librarian for Gateway’s San Francisco campus while Amanda stays home with their sons, Alexander William, born September 2020, and Calvin Samuel, 4. Jon O’Neill (’08) is director of sales at Critical Project Services, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. He resides in Irvine, California.
Raymond “Frank” Capiaux (’77) has been a cardiovascular sonographer at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital in Salinas, California, for five years. Bryant Sinkler (’79) is celebrating 35 years of charity and leadership with the West Coast Club. He founded the civil/social organization to bring together collegians and young professionals. Bryant is also the author of the book “The ‘A’ Cartel.” He also was named the Top Salesman in the Keystone Region achieving the Director’s Cut Level in his position as a sales representative for the Comcast Corp.
Kristina Burris (’08) is general manager for CC Growth LLC. She lives in Sandy, Utah, with her husband and three sons. Angela Rayfield (’09) accepted the vice president of human resources position at RPS Holdings. She and her husband moved to Paso Robles.
’80s
Heidi Lamprecht (’81) taught elementary and secondary schools for 10 years. After receiving a Master of Arts in Christian Ministries, she worked in ministry for six years. Over the past 26 years, Heidi has worked
’10s Carol Hoover (’08/’11) welcomed a grandson, Noah Robert, on March 9,
Doug Rominger (’10) accepted the position as area pastor at the Church of the City Downtown in Nashville, Tennessee.
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ALUM NEWS marriage and family therapist and has her own practice. Shayna Thompson (nee Moreno, ’12/’14) is the vice president of corporate communications at Trosper Public Relations. She oversees and manages the execution of client-based communication strategies.
Brennan (‘10) and Lindsay Teehan (nee Wright, ‘10) have been married for nine years. They have two children, Colton, 5, and Peyton, 2½. Brennan works at the University of California, Riverside as the marketing and development coordinator for gift planning. Lindsay works part-time as an executive assistant at Fullmer Construction. They reside in Fontana, California. Linda Bramel (’11) and her husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in July. Linda is a licensed
Amber Marie Boetger (’16/’19) represented her Faulkner University Ph.D. program at the 2021 South Central Renaissance Conference in March 2021. She presented her
paper, “Linguistic Deposition in Shakespeare’s Richard II,” and was the only student on the panel.
Annabel Koher (nee Zandi, ’16) and her husband, Ryan, are serving with the Mission Aviation Fellowship. They spent most of 2020 in Portugal and will be traveling to Mozambique. They have two sons, Elias, 2, and Hezekiah, born in December 2020.
As the journey ends for one...
Roland Cabrera (’18) is a chaplain resident at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. He and his wife, Anna Cabrera (’18), have traveled to Panama, Iceland and Mexico. Roland recently completed his master’s degree with a focus in Islamic studies and hopes to do a long-term mission in the Middle East. Roland and Anna have two daughters, Ember Mae, and Eden Lenée, born in January 2021.
...for another it is just beginning! Receiving a Christ-centered education at CBU helps students discover and live their purpose. Generous donors like you allow them to focus on their educational goals and serve in the world. This support provides opportunities that set the course for success during their journey at CBU. However, the journey continues with the next generation of CBU students, and you play an integral part in their success. Scan the QR Code below or visit calbaptist.edu/give to make your gift today!
Check out our newest way to give,
CRYPTOCURRENCY! Visit calbaptist.edu/give
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Alvin and Reyna Kam (nee Fujii, ’10) welcomed their first child, Rylen, on March 24, 2021. They reside in Hawaii where Reyna is a fifth-grade teacher. Mitchell Peters (’19) graduated from Talbot School of Theology in May 2021. He will begin his Ph.D. in Christian ethics and public policy this fall at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
’20s
Jason Butryn (’20) is manager of IT infrastructure and operations for the Town of Gilbert, Arizona. He manages a team of 10 that is responsible for the town’s backend information systems.
Jenna Van Mourik (’20) published her debut Christian fiction novel, “Jerusalem’s Daughter,” under her own imprint, NowGo Publishing. She is a communication assistant at Sunrise Community Church in Fair Oaks, California. Benjamin Woost (’20) is a research technician at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital where he is on a team investigating the abnormalities in neurovasculature and its correspondence to tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease.
Weddings
In Memorium Alumni
Emily Jenkins (’15) married Bryan Butler (’14) in August 2020.
Little Lancers
Michael Gonzalez (’20) is a graduate student at Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, California, where he is helping to design medical devices.
Chloe Winter (’20) married Roger Ramos (’20) in November 2020.
Nicholle Baron (’19) married Nathaniel Gibson (’20) on June 12, 2021.
Opal Miller (’54) Charles Tyson (’61) Warren Campbell (’62) George Weaver (’62) Charles Newton (’65) James Reece (’65) Jerry “Patrick” Mcgrew (’66) Russell Vaughn (’68) Sally Cawthon (’69) Philip Dabney (’71) Valarie Cardone (’73) Damon Goodnight (’73) Gary Reynolds (’76) Timothy J. Larson (’79) William Woody (’79) Paul Legan (’93) Michael Studebaker (’93) Liam Breunle (’94) Kathleen Cleary (’94) Sandra Neal (’99) Elizabeth Copeland (’04) Brian Holmes (’05) Robert Fernan (’08) Eileen Padilla (’08) Andrew Peck (’10) Ezequiel Galaviz (’16)
Faculty & Friends Carole Arnold, Faculty
Nathan (’00) and Celene Browne welcomed their second daughter, Eliana Maxine Browne, on Dec. 14, 2020.
Gary Barfoot, Faculty Shelby Collinsworth, Friend of CBU/Donor and for whom the School of Music is named Robert Kain, Donor Raquel Lebredo, Faculty Bonnie Metcalf, retired vice president of Academic Affairs for whom the School of Education is named Ruth Vanbeber, Friend of CBU/Donor Charles Watts, Staff member/Donor Fred Wehba, Friend of CBU/Donor
Kaylyn Nipales (nee Garcia, ’20) is a behavior therapist at Behavioral Health Works.
Daniel (’05) and Kharvena Moss (’05) welcomed a son, Ransom Nash Moss, on Jan. 8, 2021. Ransom joins brother Parker, 11, and sister Charlee, 8.
Lexi Ramos (’20) married Riley Evans (’20) on June 25, 2020. Lexi works at the Boise Rescue Mission while Riley is an independent Insurance agent and is coaching club volleyball. They reside in Boise, Idaho.
To submit an item for the Alum News section please contact Josh Moss, Senior Director of Alumni, Parent & Donor Engagement, at jmoss@calbaptist.edu.
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