AT THE LEADING EDGE
The Work of Our Faculty
LEADING EDGE
At California Lutheran University, our faculty remain focused on discovery and the future. They lay claim to their profession not as dispensers of cold facts, but as researchers and innovators who bring their subjects to life. They strive to instill in each generation of students the same sense of purpose they bring to their own work, the same desire for knowledge of what’s coming next, and the same need for greater understanding.
This is why our students are such active participants in their own education. They see their professors as both leaders and fellow learners who guide them into chosen fields where passion fuels their pursuits. We admire our faculty for their boldness, for daring to illuminate and push the boundaries of knowledge past the conventional. They teach at the leading edge, helping students to become the creators and leaders of a future where our understanding of the world — and ourselves — will be greater than today.
It is with great pride that we honor their achievements and recognize their commitment
Leanne Neilson
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
This edition of At the Leading Edge is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Cal Lutheran faculty from June 2023 through May 2024. It includes conference presentations, journal articles, books, grants, exhibitions, performances, creative projects, awards and appointments.
Our faculty members guide students to pursue their passions through experiences both inside and outside the classroom including mentoring, experiential learning, student research, internships and many other hands-on learning opportunities. Some examples of this from the past year include:
• Wen Chen (Annie) Denq (School of Management) presented “Social Media Engagement in Management Education: A Strategic Analysis of Students in Business School on Instagram” with student Danish Warsi at the 35th International Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities.
• Amanda ElBassiouny and Ariana Young (Psychology) presented “Armchair detectives: The relationship between crime media consumption and personality” with students Sierra Knopp and Allyson Fisicaro at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting.
• Haco Hoang (Political Science) presented “Shifting Political Preferences in a Post-Roe World: Exploring the Impact of the Dobbs Case on Young Women Voters” with student Sarah Stephan at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference.
• Michele LeBlanc (Exercise Science) published “Effect of robotic gait training on muscle and bone characteristics in spinal cord transected rats” with student Michael Soucy, et al., in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.
• David Marcey (Biology) presented “Mapping a Transgene with a Novel Expression Pattern in Drosophila melanogaster” with students Kari Orr and Anthony Garay at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference.
• Angela Rowley and Heidi Coronado (Graduate School of Education) presented “Decolonizing and Transforming Education: Supporting First-Generation Student Success in Higher Education” with students Ulises Castro and Jennifer Herrera at the Conference for Social Justice in Education.
• LaVerne Seales and Sheridan Wigginton (Languages and Cultures) and Monica Gracyalny and Kirstie Hettinga (Communication) presented “Reaching New Audiences: Student News Organizations’ Spanish-Language Coverage” with students Carrollyne Aasen and Rachel Martinez at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference.
The quality of work by Cal Lutheran faculty members, from theater and music performances, to artistic exhibitions, to an array of conference presentations and journal articles, continues to be impressive. I invite you to read through this booklet to see for yourself the range of successes achieved by Cal Lutheran’s faculty in 2023-2024.
Leanne Neilson, PsyD Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
2024 PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE
Jodie Kocur, PhD
BA, Pepperdine University, Malibu, California
MS, PhD, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
Jodie Kocur, professor of psychology, received the 2024 President’s Award for Teaching Excellence. The award was created in 1995 to recognize professors who are held in high esteem by their peers, students and the rest of the university community.
Kocur completed her MS and PhD in counseling psychology at Colorado State University and focused her clinical training on therapy and assessment with children, adolescents and families. Prior to joining the faculty at Cal Lutheran in 2008, Kocur completed a clinical internship at The Help Group in Sherman Oaks where she was a therapist for children with various psychological difficulties.
Kocur teaches courses in Child and Adolescent Development, Child Psychopathology, Abnormal Psychology and Psychological Assessment. Her research investigates the transition to post-secondary education for autistic students. She created and directs the Introduction to College Life Program and the Exploring Your Options Program, and co-directs the College Bound Academy in conjunction with the Cal Lutheran Autism and Communication Center. Each of these programs assist students on the spectrum with their transition from high school to college. Kocur runs a research and clinical team for students interested in working with her on these programs and also enjoys mentoring students on their own research studies within the areas of developmental, clinical or counseling psychology.
Kocur receives high praise from her students. One of her students wrote, “Dr. Kocur is an amazing professor who genuinely loves what she does and loves connecting with her students. Her class was interesting and exciting; there was never a moment where I was uninterested in what we were discussing. All of the assignments allowed for the application of what we were learning in class, which helped in fully understanding the material. Overall an amazing professor and class!”
When accepting the award, Kocur thanked her students for their willingness to share their stories from their childhoods and their experiences with mental health and neurodiversity and acknowledged that these classroom discussions are critical components for learning and growing together.
Cal Lutheran President Lori E. Varlotta said in presenting the award, “Dr. Kocur says that she came to Cal Lutheran because of our strong emphasis on teaching and mentoring students. And we are certainly blessed to have her here to share her knowledge and expertise with our students.”
PROVOST DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR AWARDS
The Provost Distinguished Scholar Award was developed to further the building of a community of scholars at Cal Lutheran. Each year the award is granted to two faculty members, one undergraduate faculty and one graduate faculty, who have demonstrated significant achievement in research or creative work. The award is funded by a gift from the estate of Pamela M. Jolicoeur, who was provost at Cal Lutheran from 1993 to 2004.
Amanda ElBassiouny, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology
Amanda ElBassiouny is a social psychologist who explores the impact of different identities on social and behavioral outcomes. Her research focuses on the stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination people experience based on the intersectionality of their identities, including race/ethnicity, religion, gender and mental health status, particularly in the criminal justice system. Specifically, she explores how juror and parole board decision making could be influenced by the intersectional identities of a defendant and incarcerated person.
ElBassiouny completed her BS in psychology at Brooklyn College in New York and her MS and PhD in social psychology at Howard University in Washington D.C. As an undergrad at Brooklyn College, she honed her research skills with a mentor and had her first article published in an academic journal. Now, ElBassiouny serves as mentor and co-author on her student’s research projects. She thrives on learning alongside her students as they explore the same facets of psychology that drew her to the subject in the first place.
“I really appreciate their perspectives on the material and the fresh takes they have. It helps me to think about it differently, so the learning goes both ways,” said ElBassiouny, who teaches social psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology and the psychology of prejudice and discrimination, in addition to courses on research methods and statistics.
Her research has been published in academic journals including Modern Psychological Studies, Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, Psychological Reports, North American Journal of Psychology, and the Journal of Integrated Social Sciences.
Kirsi Stjerna, PhD
First Lutheran, Los Angeles/Southwest California Synod Professor of Lutheran History and Theology, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Kirsi Stjerna, a native of Finland, is a Lutheran theologian engaged (in her own words) in “critical and compassionate” examination of the relevance of Luther’s freedom theology for the contemporary world. Educated at Helsinki University, Finland, and at Boston University, Massachusetts, she has broad interests in the Reformation scholarship and with the sources in Christian theology.
Stjerna’s book Women and the Reformation (Wiley 2008) broke new ground by bringing women’s theological voices to the conversation. Her newest book Women Reformers of the Early Modern Europe: Profiles, Texts, and Contexts (Fortress/Media 1517, 2022) features original and cutting-edge work of over 30 international scholars and is designed as both a teaching and reference tool. In her Luther scholarship, she has focused on theology of faith, freedom, sacraments and critical uprooting of antisemitism in Christian argumentation. The Annotated Luther, Vol. I-VI (Fortress, 2015-2017) was a major undertaking that saw its completion in the Reformation 500th anniversary year. In 2021, she published Lutheran Theology: A Grammar of Faith (Bloomsbury/T&T Clark), taking a look at the history, vocabulary, basic tenets and future possibilities of Lutheran teachings as freedom theology.
In addition to serving full-time at PLTS as a Professor of Lutheran History and Theology, Stjerna also teaches in the Core Doctoral Faculty at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU). Until summer 2022, she served as the Chair of the Local Committee for the 14th International Congress for Luther Research, hosted at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, in August 2022, where she also led a seminar on “Luther and Religion” with Christopher Ocker (GTU).
FACULTY AWARDS
College of Arts and Sciences
DEAN’S AWARD FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVE WORK
José Marichal, PhD
Professor, Political Science
José Marichal received the Dean’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Work. Marichal has written (or co-written) several journal articles and essays and is completing a book. He has a unique way of connecting his academic writing with his classes and mentions how his interactions with his students inform his writing. He feels that he can’t be a good professor if he doesn’t cultivate his voice through publishing. This is particularly true in how he successfully connected his academic interests with community engagement in his essays directed to a larger audience.
DEAN’S AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN PEDAGOGY
Sophia Khadraoui-Fortune, PhD
Assistant
Professor, Languages and Cultures
Sophia Khadraoui-Fortune received the Dean’s Award for Innovation in Pedagogy. KhadraouiFortune’s approach to teaching deeply engages Cal Lutheran’s mission. As an assistant professor of French, she is keenly aware of how students who are bilingual in English and Spanish could further expand their cultural and linguistic skills by adding French to their repertoire. Her classes guide students toward an understanding of how Francophone studies offer a new lens through which they can interpret their own experiences moving between multiple languages, negotiating a range of cultural norms and discovering their voices in ways that meaningfully connect them to people, places and ideas.
Scott Hamilton Adams, ThM
University Pastor and Adjunct Faculty Member
The Rev. Scott Hamilton Adams received the Dean’s Award for Innovation in Pedagogy. Rev. Scott is the full time University Pastor but also serves as an adjunct faculty member. In his class Transformational Justice in a Carceral Society, he helps students explore difficult material in an accessible yet innovative and radical way. Using Abolitionist and Fugitive Pedagogy, he challenges the students to wrestle with the questions of mass incarceration, justice, oppression and our duties as a country and as individual people/citizens. Rev. Scott delivers effective teaching and learning experiences that students will carry with them all their lives.
DEAN’S AWARD FOR SERVICE
Michael Hart, DMA
Associate Professor, Music
Michael Hart received the Dean’s Award for Service. In his role as the faculty representative to the Board of Regents and chair of the Faculty Assembly, Hart serves on the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and advocates for the faculty with the board. Over the past year, he spent countless hours bridging the gap between faculty, staff and Regents. In addition, he serves as the associate dean for the Creative and Performing Arts Division, and an associate professor of music. His service to the institution and to the faculty is deserving of this award and more.
DEAN’S AWARD FOR SERVICE
Janet Neuwalder, MFA
Senior Adjunct Faculty Member, Visual Arts
Janet Neuwalder received the Dean’s Award for Service. Professor Neuwalder is the heart and soul of the ceramics area and is actively engaged in campus activities. She partnered with professors in English and Communication to establish the Garden to Table: Pottery, Poetry, Community event. Her students make banquet vessels in her ceramics classes and help conduct gardening workshops and informational sessions in the SEEd garden. She is also instrumental in producing student shows in our campus and community galleries. Students have learned much from Neuwalder’s innovative and inclusive approaches to teaching and learning, service and collaboration.
FACULTY AWARDS
DEAN’S AWARD FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE
Rafaela Fiore Urízar, PhD Professor, Languages and Cultures
Ryan Medders, PhD Professor, Communication
Rafaela Fiore Urízar and Ryan Medders received the Dean’s Award for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ). Together they have demonstrated a strong commitment to the values of DEIJ by seeking grant funding, and developing and implementing programs that foster diversity and inclusion in: the curriculum and co-curricular activities of the students; scholarships for underrepresented students; training for faculty; and on-campus programs open to the entire campus community. Such a visionary and multi-faceted approach to enhancing DEIJ at Cal Lutheran could only be accomplished through collaboration and a recognition by these two colleagues that DEIJ efforts require a multidisciplinary approach.
DEAN’S AWARD FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND JUSTICE
Lorena Muñoz, PhD
Associate Professor, Ethnic and Race Studies
Lorena Muñoz received the Dean’s Award for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ). As associate professor and Director of Ethnic and Race Studies, Muñoz does so much to help Cal Lutheran imbed the values and practices of DEIJ into our curriculum, policies and procedures. In addition, this year she served as interim chief diversity officer. Her voice in Cabinet has been crucial in helping to center DEIJ in our institutional decision making. Muñoz’s commitment, leadership and passion for advancing DEIJ initiatives at CLU are undeniable.
DEAN’S
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE MENTORING
Sharon Docter, PhD Professor, Communication
Dru Pagliassotti, PhD Professor, Communication
Sharon Docter and Dru Pagliassotti received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring. Docter and Pagliassotti noticed that student internship experiences in the Communication Department varied greatly, with some students completing an internship without robust mentoring or the guidance to reflect on career development in a deeply meaningful way. The two professors took it upon themselves to develop a course to bring both rigor and intentionality to the internship requirement. The integrated program serves to mentor our internship students, strengthen alumni ties, enhance networking and career development opportunities and increase the rigor of a once under-utilized curriculum requirement.
Kiku Huckle, PhD
Assistant Professor, Political Science
Kiku Huckle received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Mentoring. Huckle’s service to the students in the Political Science Department is beyond exemplary. She oversees the two main experiential learning experiences: the Lutheran College Washington Semester Program and the Model UN Program. She led the Cal Lutheran team to an Honorable Mention at the National Model UN conference this spring. In addition, Huckle included two undergraduate students in her own research through the Culver Behavioral Science Research Fellowship and mentored one undergraduate research project last summer. This year she has one Culver fellow and is mentoring two undergraduates in their own research projects.
FACULTY AWARDS
Graduate School of Education
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Brandy Yee, PhD
Assistant Professor, Liberal Studies in Education
Brandy Yee received the Graduate School of Education’s Outstanding Scholarship Award. Yee has been engaged in important work that blends theory and practice to benefit current and future TK-12 educators. One substantial contribution is a significant $500,000 grant that helps reconfigure the undergraduate bachelor’s degree program in liberal studies in education as well as strengthen relationships with area community colleges by providing transfer opportunities for a pathway to teaching. In addition, Yee collaborated with her graduate students on research related to social emotional learning, leading to several presentations at and publications in national conferences and journals.
SERVICE AWARD
Tymika Wesley, EdD
Associate Professor, Learning and Teaching
Tymika (Ty) Wesley received the Graduate School of Education’s Outstanding Service Award. Wesley believes wholeheartedly in the mantra of “leave a place better than when you found it.” During her four years as department chair, she oversaw curriculum revisions with her colleagues, the launch of the Bilingual Authorization Pathway and the Pathways to Teaching Santa Maria residency program. In addition, she secured a $300,000 grant from the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity to strengthen equity initiatives within the Department of Learning and Teaching. She always approaches her work with the best intentions and desires to make effective positive change.
TEACHING AWARD
Edlyn Peña
Professor, Educational Leadership
Edlyn Peña received the Graduate School of Education’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Known for being meticulous in her teaching and having great care and compassion for her students, Peña pushes students to engage their critical thinking and examine topics in new ways. A student wrote, “She always made herself available to help me with essential decisions about my topic and my research, to prop me up in the many times I struggled in this course, and to remind me of why I am here and that I could do this. Dr. Peña is just phenomenal.”
School of Management
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
John Garcia, DBA
Assistant Professor, Finance
John Garcia, recipient of the School of Management Advisory Council’s Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship, is a distinguished educator of undergraduate and graduate students in finance and analytics. His research on behavioral and corporate finance and machine learning has been published in renowned peer-reviewed journals, including Applied Finance Letters, Managerial Finance, Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Investment Analysts Journal, Machine Learning with Applications, and the Journal of Forensic Accounting Research Garcia’s research also has been showcased at prominent conferences, including the Financial Markets and Corporate Governance, the Southwestern Finance Association and the Financial Management Association.
SERVICE AWARD
Mark Orlando, EdD
Assistant Professor and Director, Sports Management Program
Mark Orlando received the School of Management Advisory Council’s Award for Excellence in Service. Orlando is the director of the new Sports Management program. This major is the fastest growing and has become one of the largest majors at Cal Lutheran within a period of just two years. As program director, Orlando has worked to hire qualified instructors, manage program quality, communicate with applicants and students, and arrange experiential learning opportunities and extra-curricular activities. He has become a role model for others by managing the student-industry interface in a highly effective manner, utilizing his industry-specific experience and networks.
TEACHING AWARD
Carmina Bech Segarra, MBA
Lecturer, Business Administration
Carmina Bech Segarra received the School of Management Advisory Council’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Bech Segarra teaches beyond the classroom by creating extracurricular experiential learning opportunities for students. She regularly holds guest speaker engagements, has helped students find their path outside of their university education, has mentored students for our New Venture Fair and has used her personal time to visit Cal Lutheran students at the European Innovation Academy. She also has helped in the selection of applicants for the Dorfman Scholars program, and currently is creating a travel course to Spain with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation.
FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Stephanie-Renee Anckle, PhD
PhD, Visiting Lecturer, Liberal Studies in Education
Appointments
• Board Member, Commission for Women and Girls, City of Long Beach, California.
Presentations
• “Decolonizing the American Food System” at the Pacific Sociological Association Conference, San Diego, California, March 2024.
• “Using Archives to Transform Teaching of Black-andNative American” at the Association of Teacher Educators Conference, Anaheim, California, March 2024.
• “Using Decolonial Frameworks to End Systemic Curriculum Violence” at the American Educational Research Association Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 2024.
Gerhard Apfelthaler, PhD
Dean, School of Management
Publications
• Going Places: Travel adventures by executives for travelers, business people and other curious readers, Amazon Publishing Hub, 2023.
Adrijana Sekulovic Arnold, PhD
Lecturer, School of Management
Appointments
• Reviewer, Journal of Sport Management Presentations
• “The Olympic Games: Politics of Sustainability, Discourses and Practices” at the Center for Sociocultural Sport and Olympic Research Conference, Fullerton, California, March 2024.
Jamie Banker, PhD
Professor, Graduate School of Psychology
Appointments
• Editorial Board Member, International Journal of Systemic Therapies.
• Reviewer, Journal of Integrated Social Sciences.
• Reviewer, International Family Systems and Health.
• Reviewer, Psychological Medicine Journal.
Jamie Bedics, PhD
Professor, Graduate School of Psychology
Appointments
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Representative, North American Chapter of the Society for Psychotherapy Research.
Presentations
• “Covariation of Symptomatic and Mechanistic Change during a Randomized Trial of Dialectical Behavior therapy for Suicidal Youth” with Asarnow, Gallop, et al., at the Annual Meeting of the International Summit on Suicide Research, Barcelona, Spain, October 2023.
James Bond, PhD
Associate Professor, English Appointment
• President, Association of Lutheran College Faculties. Presentations
• “Discerning the ‘Inner Light’: Finding a Vocation of Scholarship in the Music of Composer Morten Lauridsen” at the annual conference of the Association of Lutheran College Faculties held at Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa, October 2023.
Adam Braun, PhD
Assistant Professor, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Presentations
• “The Cost of Christian Unity” at the Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly, Burlingame, California, September 2023.
• “Queering the New Testament,” Bangkok, Thailand, January 2024.
Publications
• “Zombie Father, Sovereign Daughter: Watching Korean Zombie Cinema with the Sim Cheong Myth.” Family, Community, and Polyphonic Subjectivity, M. Jeong (Ed.), trans. S. Han, Cheonnam University Press, 2024. Exhibitions, Performances and Creative Projects
• “Policing Paul” performance piece for the University Lutheran Church Easter Vigil, Berkeley, California, April 2024.
Lisa Buono, EdD
Dean, School for Professional and Continuing Studies
Awards
• United Way Ventura County Milton M. Teague Award for outstanding community volunteerism.
Appointments
• Board Chair, United Way of Ventura County.
Nathan Carlson, PhD
Professor, Mathematics
Presentations
• “Some recent cardinality bounds” at a workshop in honor of Istvan Juhasz at the Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics, Budapest, Hungary, August 2023.
• “A Bound for the Density of Any Hausdorff Space” at the Spring Topology and Dynamics Conference held at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, March 2024.
• “New bounds for the cardinality and density of a Hausdorff space” at the Spring Western Sectional Meeting of the American Mathematical Society held at San Francisco State University, California, May 2024.
Publications
• “Cardinal inequalities involving the Hausdorff pseudocharacter” with A. Bella and S. Spadaro. RACSAM, the mathematics journal of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, Vol. (117)3, 2023.
• “New bounds on the cardinality of Hausdorff spaces and regular spaces.” Acta Mathematica Hungarica, Vol. (170)1, 2023.
• “A bound for the density of any Hausdorff space.” Topology and its Applications, Vol. 345, March 15, 2024.
• “On spaces with a pi-base with elements with compact closure” with A. Bella and I. Gotchev. RACSAM, the mathematics journal of the Spanish Royal Academy of Sciences, Vol. (118)26, 2024.
Sebastian Carron Montero, PhD
Associate Professor, Physics
Awards
• United States House of Representatives Certificate of Congressional Recognition given to acknowledge receipt of the Paraguayan Consulate of Los Angeles and the Paraguayan Community Association of the West Coast Science Prize for Paraguayan leaders residing in the United States, awarded for contributions made to particle physics and help in developing the methodology used in the discovery of the Higgs Boson at CERN.
• The CMS Collaboration automatic authorship, for work over the past six years in the HGCal upgrade.
NATHAN CARLSON
Professor, Mathematics
Individualized work in the classroom, engaging discussions during office hours, and my own passion for teaching help my students realize their full mathematical potential.
Appointments
• Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) Faculty Fellowship, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Presentations
• Invited speaker at Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics (KITP) “From Experimental Particle Physics to Theoretical Estimation of Photon-Graviton Scattering Amplitudes.”
• Participated in KITP research program "String Theory, Weaving Perspectives Together” where leading researchers in the field of string theory gathered for two months for discussion of the cutting edge and status of the field, as well as how to move the field forward.
Publications
• “Using graph neural networks to reconstruct charged pion showers in the CMS HigH Granularity Calorimeter” with A. Alpana, et al. arXiv 2406.11937, May 2024.
Dazhi Chong, PhD
Associate
Professor, School of Management
Publications
• “Exploring Information Systems (IS) curricula: a semantic analysis approach” with S. Hwang, et al. Information Discovery and Delivery, Nov. 29, 2023.
Mina Chun, PhD
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Education
Appointments
• Reviewer, Journal of Special Education Preparation Presentations
• “From disenfranchised to included: Creating an inclusive culture for special education teachers” with T. Bachrach at the Teacher Education Division Conference of the Council for Exceptional Children, Long Beach, California, October 2023.
• “A family’s journey: Reminiscing on a life fully lived with Down syndrome” with T. Bachrach at the 25th International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability & Developmental Disabilities, Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children, Waikiki, Hawaii, January 2024.
DAZHI CHONG
Associate Professor, School of Management
Prioritize motivation over achievement, unlock students’ full potential by creating learning environments that are intrinsically rewarding.
• “Prismatic narrative inquiry: Examining educator perspectives on professional learning communities for inclusive practices” with M.E. Fisher, J.A. Petty, et al. at the American Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies Online Conference, April 2024.
Publications
• “Uncharted waters: Building an ethnic studies capacity into a predominately white charter school” with J.A. Petty, M.E. Fisher, et al. California Council on Teacher Education Fall 2023 Research Monograph
• “The power of perspective: Project-based learning and ethnic studies” with M.E. Fisher, J.A. Petty, et al. California Council on Teacher Education Fall 2023 Research Monograph.
• “Leadership, professional learning communities, and change: Building a better special and general education team” with M.E. Fisher, M.A. Dorner, et al. California Council on Teacher Education Fall 2023 Research Monograph
Samuel
Claussen, PhD
Associate Professor, History
Presentations
• “‘What a fearful undertaking it is’: The Fear of Death in Early Spanish Overseas Conquest” at the 70th Annual Meeting of the Renaissance Society of America, Chicago, Illinois, March 2024.
Publications
• “Chivalric Deaths in Battle in Late Medieval Castile.” Nuova Antologia Militare, Vol. 5(17), February 2024.
Brian Collins, PhD
Associate Professor, Philosophy
Appointments
• Reviewer, Southwest Philosophy Review
• Founder and Director, SoCal Philosophy Academy.
Presentations
• “Teach Philosophy As: The Inescapable Intellectual Activity That It Is” at the CogTeacho + American Association of Philosophy Teachers Teach Hub Conference, August 2023 (virtual).
• “Sitting in Circles & Mindfully Unplugging from Technology” at the “Facing Technology: The Role of Public Philosophy” Public Philosophy Network Conference held at the University of California, Santa Cruz, September 2023.
• “Virtues and How They Manifest in Personal & Professional Life” at the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO) Roundtable, January 18, 2024 (virtual).
HEIDI CORONADO
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education
I have a passion for sharing knowledge with my students and for creating spaces of deep reflection and critical thinking. In my teaching I merge theory and praxis and provide opportunities for experiential learning, self-reflection, mentoring, community engagement and different spaces for students to see themselves as leaders in society.
• “Teaching Philosophy Through Mindful Listening” at the American Philosophical Association Pacific Division Conference, Portland, Oregon, March 2024.
Jesus Cordova Guerrero, PhD
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Appointments
• Reviewer, Berkeley Pharma Tech Journal of Medicine
• Reviewer, American Chemical Society Omega
Heidi Coronado, PhD
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education
Presentations
• “Decolonizing and Transforming Education: Supporting First-Generation Student Success in Higher Education” with A. Rowley and students U. Castro and J. Herrera at the Conference for Social Justice in Education held at CSU Channel Islands, California, March 2024.
Michael Cosenza, EdD
Professor, Graduate School of Education Awards
• The National Association for School-University Partnerships’ (NASUP) Jason Kinsey Award recognizing individuals who have significantly and enduringly contributed to advancing the mission and goals of NASUP.
Presentations
• “Lessons Learned from Exemplary Professional Development Schools: Practitioner Workshop” at the National Association for School-University Partnerships Annual Conference, Anaheim, California, March 2024.
• “Harnessing the Power of AI: Innovations in Lesson Planning: Practitioner Workshop” at the National Association for School-University Partnerships Annual Conference, Anaheim, California, March 2024.
Publications
• A Practical Guide to Exemplary Professional Development Schools, co-edited with J. Ferrara and D. Gomez. Information Age Publishing, Charlotte, North Carolina, 2024.
Jamshid Damooei, PhD
Professor, School of Management
Appointments
• Board Member, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy.
• Research Committee Member, Uplift Community Central Coast.
• Fellow Associate, Just Semper Global Alliance.
• Advisory Committee Member, Ventura County Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
• Member, Ventura County Community Health Improvement Collaborative.
• Member, Santa Paula Isabella Project (Developing a Universal High-Quality Early Childhood Education for Ventura County).
Publications
• “Demographic Profile and Economic Impact of Undocumented Immigrants in California.” Center for Economics of Social Issues, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, February 2024.
• “Undocumented Immigrants: An Inseparable Part of California’s Economy.” Hispanic Outlook on Education, Vol. 34(9), June-July 2024.
Michele R. Dean, EdD
Field Placement Director and Senior Lecturer, Graduate School of Education
Appointments
• Southern California Region Representative, Social Justice Educator Collective (an extension of the national Learning for Justice Organization).
• Selection Committee, El Concilio del Condado Buenaventura Latino Leadership Awards.
• Advisor, Oxnard School District’s African American Parent/Community Advisory Committee.
Presentations
• “Leveraging Literature to Celebrate & Cultivate Cultural Diversity” invited professional development lecture at University Preparation Charter School at CSU Channel Islands, Pleasant Valley School District, Camarillo, California, March 2024.
John Deisz, PhD
Professor, Physics Appointments
• Member, Committee on Careers and Professional Development, American Physical Society.
Ryan DeMoss, MS
Senior Lecturer, Mathematics Appointments
• Student Chapters Coordinator, Mathematical Association of America.
Wen Chen Denq, PhD
MBA, MSW, Lecturer, School of Management Appointments
• Treasurer, The Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action’s Nonprofit Finance & Financial Management Section.
• Reviewer, Western Academy of Management Conference 2024.
• Reviewer, American Council on Consumer Interests Conference 2024. Presentations
• “A Content Analysis of How Small Los Angeles-based NPOs Use Social Media to Engage Audiences” at the 65th Annual Western Academy of Management Conference, Long Beach, California, March 2024.
• “Click, Connect, and Change: Leveraging Social Media for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Engagement in Business Education” with S. Sattari and student D. Warsi at the 65th Annual Western Academy of Management Conference, Long Beach, California, March 2024.
• “Social Media Engagement in Management Education: A Strategic Analysis of Students in Business School on Instagram” with student D. Warsi at the 35th International Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities, Washington D.C., April 2024.
• “Decoding Digital Dynamics: Enhancing Audience Engagement in Small NPOs on Facebook through Community-Centric Strategies” at the 2024 West Coast Nonprofit Data Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, April 2024.
Rainer Diriwächter, PhD Professor, Psychology
Appointments
• Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Integrated Social Sciences
• Associate Editor, Culture and Psychology (SAGE Publications).
• Editorial Board Member, Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science (Springer Publications).
Sharon Docter, PhD Professor, Communication Appointments
• Board of Governance, The Salvation Army College for Officer Training.
• Chair, Academic Committee, The Salvation Army College for Officer Training Board of Governance.
• Member, Executive Committee, The Salvation Army College for Officer Training Board of Governance.
Presentations
• “Student newsrooms, political climate and coverage of censorship” with K. Hettinga and R. Medders at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, Washington, D.C., August 2023.
• “Section 230 is (mostly) Working Just Fine” at the National Communication Association 109th Annual Convention, National Harbor, Maryland, November 2023.
MEGAN FUNG
Assistant
Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
One of my favorite parts of being an educator is getting to know students outside of the traditional classroom. Whether it’s on a field trip looking at rock formations or analyzing fossils in the lab, this is where students expand their horizons and discover new interests.
ROBERT DULL
Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
My most rewarding teaching moments occur when I am with students working outside in the field or collecting data in the lab. It is in these settings that students become active, enthusiastic, confident participants in their own acquisition of knowledge.
Robert Dull, PhD
Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Appointments
• Board Member, Paso Pacifico, biological conservation nonprofit working in Central America.
• Review Editor, Editorial Board, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution: Paleoecology, Nature Publishing Group.
Amanda ElBassiouny, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology
Appointments
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Integrated Social Sciences
• Reviewer, Journal of Social Psychology
• Reviewer, Current Psychology
• Reviewer, American Journal of Men’s Health
• Reviewer, North American Journal of Psychology.
• Reviewer, International Journal of Social Science Studies. Presentations
• “Extralegal factors influencing jurors’ perceptions: Exploring the impact of a defendant’s ethnicity, immigration status, and socioeconomic status” with S. Luu and students N. Tiwana and M. Biscoe at the 19th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Justice Research, Munich, Germany, July 2023.
• “Identity on trial: Injustices within the United States criminal justice system” at Academic Dialogues from the Border: A Meeting with International Perspectives from the U.S. held at Universidad Iberoamericana, Bogota, Colombia, November 2023.
• “Armchair detectives: The relationship between crime media consumption and personality” with A.F. Young and students S.K.T. Knopp and A. Fisicaro at the 25th Annual Meeting for the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, California, February 2024.
• “Diverse Defendants, Divergent Perceptions: A Study of Juror Decision-Making in the United States” at the 14th International Poverty and Social Protection Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, March 2024.
• “Building bridges with outgroup members: Understanding the dynamics of allophilia through imagining positive interactions and identity salience” with students A. Pekarek and D. Juan de Dios at the 104th Annual Convention for the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
• “Exploring bias in the perceptions of Mexican farmworkers: The interplay of language and education” with student D. Juan de Dios at the 104th Annual Convention for the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
• “The impact of gender identity and race/ethnicity on mock jurors’ perceptions of a sexual assault victim and their decision-making in court” with student A. Pekarek at the 104th Annual Convention for the Western Psychological Association, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
Publications
• “In the shadow of doubt: The impact of a defendant’s identity on jurors’ perception of DNA evidence in murder cases” with student M. Caltrider. Journal of Integrated Social Sciences, Vol. 13(1), 2023.
• “Stepping beyond the bars: A comparative analysis of personality traits in previously incarcerated males and females” with students A. Anthonioz and K. Sircy. Modern Psychological Studies, Vol. 29(1), 2023.
• “Extralegal factors & jurors’ perceptions: The influence of a defendant’s ethnicity, immigration status, and socioeconomic status” with S. Luu and students N. Tiwana and M. Biscoe. Proceedings of the Poverty and Social Protection Conference, 9, 2024.
Matthew Fienup, PhD
Executive Director, Center for Economic Research and Forecasting
Appointments
• Housing Chair, Ventura County Economic Vitality Strategic Plan Steering Committee.
Presentations
• “SGMA’s first groundwater market: updates from Fox Canyon and Kaweah Sub-basin” to the California Water Commission, June 2023.
• “2023 Ventura County Economic Outlook” at the Ventura Chamber of Commerce Economic Outlook Breakfast, Ventura, California, June 2023.
• Pacific Coast Business Times Latino Business Awards Ceremony, delivered prepared acceptance speech with David Hayes-Bautista, held at Limoneira, Santa Paula, California, July 2023.
• Ventura County Land Use Panel Discussion at the Museum of Ventura County, Ventura, California, August 2023.
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report: Hard Working, Selfsufficient, Optimistic” keynote at the UCLA Faculty Club, Los Angeles, California, September 2023.
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report: Hard Working, Selfsufficient, Optimistic” interview with Arizona State Press, Phoenix, Arizona, September 2023.
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report: Hard Working, Selfsufficient, Optimistic” interview with ABC News, Washington D.C., September 2023.
• “Hard-Working, Self-sufficient, Optimistic: The Narrative-Changing $3.2 trillion U.S. Latino GDP” keynote at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, September 2023.
• “CERF Late-2023 Economic Outlook & Forecast” to the Conejo Valley Vistage Group, C-level executives from across the nonprofit and for-profit sectors of Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley, Westlake Village, California, September 2023.
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report: Mexico and the United States, 190 million powerful economic actors separated by a river” to Mexican presidential candidate Xóchitl Galvez and her top economic advisor, Ildefonso Guajardo Villareal, Los Angeles, California, September 2023.
• “Things that keep CERF Economists up at night” to the executive leadership team of AgriBank, Saint Paul, Minnesota, October 2023 (virtual).
• Mark Schneidmann’s Radio Real Estate, KZSB Santa Barbara. Featured guest to discuss housing markets and the general economic outlook for the Tri-County Region, Santa Barbara, California, October 2023.
• “2023 Ventura County Economic Outlook” at Simi Valley Unified School District Faculty Retreat, Simi Valley, California, November 2023.
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report” keynote at Bank of America’s Hispanic Latino Business Owner Initiative event, November 2023 (virtual).
• Gold Team Ventura County launch event. Economic Outlook panelist, with Ventura County Supervisor" Jeff Gorell, Amgen Campus, Thousand Oaks, California, November 2023.
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report: Hard Working, Selfsufficient, Optimistic” keynote at the annual Board of Directors Retreat for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, January 2024.
• “Ventura County Economic Outlook” keynote and panel discussion at the Thousand Oaks Rotary Club’s 2024 Economic Forecast Breakfast, February 2024.
• “Price Signals and Economic Fundamentals” to the Arroyo Capital Management Team, Irvine, California, February 2024.
• “Preview of Ventura County Economic Forecast Publication” at the CERF Ventura County Forecast VIP Reception held at Herzog Wine Cellars, Oxnard, California, February 2024.
• “2024 Ventura County Economic Forecast Publication” keynote at the 2024 CERF Ventura County Forecast Event, Thousand Oaks, California, February 2024.
• “2024 Ventura County Economic Outlook and Forecast” to the Ventura County Economic Vitality Strategic Plan Steering Committee Stakeholder Group, March 2024.
• “Ventura County Economic Outlook and Forecast” keynote at the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Economic Summit, Westlake Village, California, March 2024.
• “Data analytics put to work” featured guest on a full-length episode of David Bahnsen’s nationally recognized podcast, Capital Record, March 25, 2024.
• “CERF’s U.S. Economic Outlook and Forecast” to the European Union Consuls-General, including the Mission Heads for the consulates of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Romania and Spain, held at the Belgian Consulate, Los Angeles, California, March 2024.
• “U.S. and California Latino GDP” keynote at event with Oxnard College, UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture and the Oxnard College Foundation, Oxnard, California, April 2024.
• “Ventura County’s Economic Outlook and the Need for Being Nimble” keynote at the 32nd Annual Water Symposium, hosted by the Association of Water Agencies of Ventura County, Oxnard, California, April 2024.
• “Houston Metro Latino GDP Report” keynote at Bank of America’s Houston Latino GDP Unveiling event, Houston, Texas, April 2024.
Publications
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report” with D. Hamilton, D. Hayes-Bautista and P. Hsu. Latino GDP Project, a project of Community Partners, Los Angeles, with the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health & Culture, September 2023.
• “2024 CERF Ventura County Economic Forecast Publication” with D. Hamilton. Center for Economic Research & Forecasting, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, February 2024.
• “CERF Quarterly United States Economic Forecast Publication” with D. Hamilton. Center for Economic Research & Forecasting, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, March 2024. (Surveyed quarterly by the Wall Street Journal, the National Association of Business Economists and the Fannie Mae Home Price Expectations Survey.)
• “Houston Metro Latino GDP Report” with D. Hamilton, D. Hayes-Bautista and P. Hsu. Latino GDP Project, a project of Community Partners, Los Angeles, for the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, with the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health & Culture, April 2024.
• “Atlanta Metro Latino GDP Report” with D. Hamilton, D. Hayes-Bautista and P. Hsu. Latino GDP Project, a project of Community Partners, Los Angeles, for the Bank of America Charitable Foundation with the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health & Culture, June 2024.
John Fitch III, MFA, PhD
Associate Professor, Film and Television Awards
Recognition for Thomas Merton and the End of the World, original TV pilot script:
• Quarterfinalist, Filmmatic TV Pilot Awards, 2023.
• Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft TV Pilot Competition, 2024. Recognition for Viewing, rewrite of an existing original feature screenplay:
• Quarter-Finalist, Emerging Screenwriters Suspense Competition, 2023.
• Quarter-Finalist, Creative Screenwriting Feature Competition, 2023.
• Quarter-Finalist, Emerging Screenwriters Screenplay Competition, 2024.
• Best Screenplay, Crime & Mystery Film and Screenplay Festival, 2024.
• Selected for an interview about this screenplay by the Wildsound Podcast, 2024. Appointments
• Academic Member, Television Academy Foundation.
• Judge, Television Academy Foundation Internship Program (Fall, Spring, and Summer).
• Creative Advisory Board Member, Louisville Film Society.
• Judge, Louisville Film Society’s Fall Short Film Slam and Flyover Film Festival.
Karrolyne Fogel, PhD Professor, Mathematics
Appointments
• Board Member and Web Editor, Southern CaliforniaNevada section of the Mathematical Association of America.
Julia Fogg, PhD Professor, Religion
Appointments
• Board Member, The Abundant Table.
• Leadership Council Member, Leadership Foundations. Publications
• “The Carnegie Hour and the Vocation of Student Learning.” Vocation Matters: Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Research (NetVUE), July 31, 2023 (online).
Megan Fung, PhD
Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
Appointments
• Board Member, Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research.
Presentations
• “The BFORAMS@Mictorax, A Newly Published Online Database for Taxonomic Identifications” with A. Burkett, B. Huber, et al. at the Geological Society of America Conference, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, October 2023.
• “Evaluating Wildfire Events at the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary: A Molecular Marker Approach” with S. Wagner, M. Schaller, et al. at the ASLO Ocean Sciences Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2024.
• “Synchronous, widespread, and intense wildfires at the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum: An analog for the anthropogenic wildfire regime” with M. Schaller, S. Wagner and S. Corcoran at the ASLO Ocean Sciences Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2024.
Publications
• “Exploring Early Eocene Hyperthermals on the New Jersey Paleoshelf (ODP 174AX)” with M.E. Katz, K.G. Miller, et al. Journal of Foraminiferal Research, Vol. 53(4), 2023.
• “Shallow Marine Records of Paleocene to Eocene Global Climate and Ecosystem Perturbations” with M. Robinson, K. Miller, et al. Scientific Drilling, Vol. 33(1), 2024.
Jennifer Gamarra, PhD
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Psychology Awards
• Clinical Track Awardee, Career Development & Leadership Program, Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Appointments
• Planning Committee, National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology Winter Conference.
• Professional Education Committee, Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
Presentations
• “Perceived criticism from parents as rated by adolescents at high risk for mood disorders” with R.D. Brown, M.J. Weintraub, et al. at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Meeting, Seattle, Washington, November 2023.
John Garcia, DBA
Assistant Professor, School of Management Appointments
• Reviewer, Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money
• Reviewer, Global Finance Journal
• Reviewer, Applied Finance Letters
• Reviewer, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy Presentations
• “Liquidity in Flux: The Role of Sentiment Disagreement in Share Liquidity” at the Research Symposium on Finance and Economics Conference, Sri City, India, June 2023 (virtual).
JENNIFER GAMARRA
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Psychology
While externships and experiential training and learning is a part of our curriculum in the PsyD program, I encourage students to listen to what their passions are when picking their placements. Let your curiosity guide you in your choices, as well as in the therapy room. We learn best when we explore and not assume!
• “Financial Distress — Unraveling the Impact of Divergent Investor Sentiment and Excess Attention” at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Behavioral Finance & Economics, Woodland Hills, California, September 2023.
• “Divergent Investor Sentiment and Excessive Attention: A Catalyst for Financial Distress” at the Financial Management Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, October 2023.
• “Catalyzing Financial Distress — The Impact of Divergent Sentiment and Excessive Attention” at the Southwestern Finance Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 2024.
• “The Impact of Investor Sentiment On Share Liquidity: Examining The Roles of Religiosity and The Covid-19 Pandemic” with R. Lu-Andrews at the Southwestern Finance Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 2024.
Publications
• “Do Employees Waive Financial Red Flags Through the Glassdoor?” with L. Dunham, J. Grandstaff and S. Wei Journal of Forensic Accounting Research, Vol. 8(1), December 2023.
• “Herding the crowds: how sentiment affects crowdsourced earnings estimates.” Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, April 2024.
David Grannis, MFA
Associate Professor, Film and Television
Presentations
• “Utilizing Video Production and Service-Learning as a Paradigm for Faculty/Student Scholarship” at the Broadcast Education Association conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 2024.
Dan Hamilton, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Management
Publications
• “2023 U.S. Latino GDP Report” with M. Fienup, D. Hayes-Bautista and P. Hsu. Latino GDP Project, a project of Community Partners, Los Angeles, with the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health & Culture, September 2023.
• “2024 CERF Ventura County Economic Forecast Publication” with M. Fienup. Center for Economic Research & Forecasting, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, February 2024.
• “CERF Quarterly United States Economic Forecast Publication” with M. Fienup. Center for Economic Research & Forecasting, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, March 2024. (Surveyed quarterly by the Wall Street Journal, the National Association of Business Economists, and the Fannie Mae Home Price Expectations Survey.)
• “Houston Metro Latino GDP Report” with M. Fienup, D. Hayes-Bautista and P. Hsu. Latino GDP Project, a project of Community Partners, Los Angeles, for the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, with the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health & Culture, April 2024.
• “Atlanta Metro Latino GDP Report” with M. Fienup, D. Hayes-Bautista and P. Hsu. Latino GDP Project, a project of Community Partners, Los Angeles, for the Bank of America Charitable Foundation with the UCLA Center for the Study of Latino Health & Culture, June 2024.
Shauna Hannan, PhD
Professor, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Appointments
• Advisory Team Member, ELCA’s Compelling Preaching: Transformed Listeners Initiative
• Core Doctoral Faculty Admissions Committee, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California. Presentations
• Engle Institute for Preaching Faculty, Princeton Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey, June 2023.
• “The Preaching Congregation: A Compelling Preaching Initiative Program” with the Episcopal Preaching Foundation, Fall 2023.
• “What Preachers Can Learn from Filmmakers” at the Annual Byberg Preaching Lectures, Seaside, Oregon, January 2024.
• “Developing Lay Preachers” Episcopal Preaching Foundation Presentation at the Episcopal Parish Network Conference, Houston, Texas, March 2024.
Grady Hanrahan, PhD Professor, Chemistry
Presentations
• “Design and Development of Hydrogen Peroxide and Free Radical Scavenging Assays from Natural Medicine Components” with A. Valladolid at the American Chemical Society National Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 2024.
Dana Harmon, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biology
Publications
• “The multidrug efflux pump regulator AcrR directly represses motility in Escherichia coli” with C. Ruiz and students J. Maldonado and B. Czarnecka. mSphere, the American Society for Microbiology journal, Vol. 8(5), October 2023.
• “Freshwater and Marine Environments in California Are a Reservoir of Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria” with C. Ruiz and students A. McCarley and M.L. Espejo. Microorganisms, Vol. 12(4), 2024.
Michael Hart, DMA
Associate Professor, Music
Appointments
Principal Tubist:
• Los Angeles Symphonic Winds, Los Angeles, California.
Guest Conductor/Clinician:
• Los Cerritos Middle School Advanced Band, Thousand Oaks, California, April 2024.
• Cathedral City High School Symphonic Band, Cathedral City, California, April 2024.
• Lindero Canyon Middle School Concert and Jazz Band, Thousand Oaks, California, March 2024.
• Burbank High School Wind Ensemble. Burbank, California, March 2024.
• Newbury Park High School Wind Ensemble, Newbury Park, California, March 2024.
• Camarillo High School Wind Ensemble, Camarillo, California, March 2024.
STEVEN HAWKINS
Professor, Exercise Science
Movement is integral to the human experience, making the study of human movement applicable to nearly anything that we do. Exercise Science students are encouraged to tailor their Capstone inquiry to whatever interests they have, providing a richer and more personal experience with research.
Adjudicator:
• Heritage/WorldStrides Music Festival, Rose Center Theater, Westminster, California, March 2024.
• SCSBOA Band and Orchestra Festival, Rancho Campana High School, Camarillo, California, March 2024.
• SCSBOA Band and Orchestra Festival, John F. Kennedy High School, La Palma, California, March 2024.
• Conejo Valley Unified Music Festival, Los Cerritos Middle School. Thousand Oaks, California, April 2024.
• Heritage/WorldStrides Music Festival, College of San Mateo, California, April 2024.
• Heritage/WorldStrides Music Festival, Cuyamaca College, San Diego, California, April 2024.
Presentations
• “The Healthy Conductor: Developing and Sustaining Habits to Prevent Injury and Promote Artistry" at the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Conference, Anaheim, California, January 2024.
Steven Hawkins, PhD
Professor, Exercise Science
Appointments
• Member, Working Group on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Bone Health for the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Publications
• “Bone Health.” Cycling Weekly Magazine UK, November 9, 2023.
Timothy Hengst, MA
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Appointments
• Executive Director and Producer, Kingsmen Shakespeare Company.
• Member, City of Thousand Oaks Arts and Culture Roundtable.
Aaron Heresco, PhD
Associate Professor, Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals
Appointments
• Co-Chair and Conference Coordinator, The Union for Democratic Communication.
Kirstie Hettinga, PhD
Associate Professor, Communication Awards
• Iles Award for Research in Editing with D. Pagliassotti.
Appointments
• Associate Editor, Newspaper Research Journal.
• Board Member, California College Media Association.
• Editorial Board Member, College Media Review
Presentations
• “Student newsrooms, political climate and coverage of censorship” with R. Medders and S. Docter at the 106th Annual Conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Washington, D.C., August 2023.
• “Reaching New Audiences: Student News Organizations’ Spanish-Language Coverage” with L. Seales, S. Wigginton, M. Gracyalny and students C. Aasen and R. Martinez at the 106th Annual Conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Washington, D.C., August 2023.
Publications
• “Exhausted and lonely: Learning in student newsrooms during COVID” with L. Lyon Payne, J. Norman and E. Smith. Media Practice and Education, Vol. 24(4), 2023.
• “Job satisfaction in the COVID-19 era: A survey of copy editors across fields” with A. Appelman. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, Nov. 27, 2023.
Michael Hillis, PhD
Dean, Graduate School
of Education
Appointments
• Committee on Accreditation, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
• Board Member, Ventura County P-20 Council.
• Deans and Directors Executive Committee, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.
• Board Member, Ventura Community College District Chancellor Advisory Council.
Presentations
• “Forging an LEA/IHE partnership through the development of a teacher residency program” at the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education Conference, Denver, Colorado, February 2024.
• “Leading the change and fostering collective resilience: Independent liberal arts institutions shaping a sustainable future for teacher education” panel discussion at the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education Conference, Denver, Colorado, February 2024.
• Panel discussion on the establishment of teacher residencies for the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity Webinar Series 2024 (virtual).
Haco Hoang, PhD
Professor, Political Science
Presentations
• “Shifting Political Preferences in a Post-Roe World: Exploring the Impact of the Dobbs Case on Young Women Voters” with student co-author S. Stephan at the Midwest Political Science Association Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 2024.
Katherine Hoffmann, PhD
Associate Professor, Chemistry
Presentations
• “Kinetic and Thermodynamic Methods for NRPSIndependent Siderophore (NIS) Synthetases” at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology National Conference, San Antonio, Texas, March 2024.
• “A Methodology for efficient and accurate recovery of desferioxamines from assay conditions” with student J.D. Hernandez at the American Chemical Society Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 2024.
• “Cofactor Binding in DesD: Indications Of Cooperativity” with student A.C. Dumas at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, March 2024.
• “Crystallization of the Glu467Ala Variant of DesferrioxamineD with Cofactor” with student J. Nhou at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, March 2024.
Emma Hooper, PhD
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Psychology
Presentations
• “A Pilot Study of a Conjoint Therapy for Maternal Depression and Children’s Problem
• Behaviors” with X. Feng, Q. Wu and S. Ku in S. Ku (Chair) “Examining the Behavioral and Biological Processes Through Which Maternal Depressive Symptoms Affect Maternal and Child Outcomes Using a Biopsychosocial Framework” at the National Council of Family Relations Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, November 2023.
• “White and Black Parents’ Emotion Coaching Beliefs: Differential Associations with Preschooler’s Behavioral Problems” with Q. Wu in Q. Wu (Chair) “Cultural Considerations of Risk and Protective Factors Within Children’s Familial Environment” at the National Council of Family Relations Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, November 2023.
• “Cultural Differences Among South Asians and Caucasians: Mental Health Stigma and Help-seeking Attitudes” with H.C. Grewal and S. Park at the Western Psychological Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
Kiku Huckle, PhD
Assistant Professor, Political Science
Appointments
• Research Grant Reviewer, American Political Science Association Spring Centennial Center.
• Faculty Chair, Pi Sigma Alpha National Student Research Conference.
• Board Member and Academic Curriculum Advisory Committee Member, Lutheran College Washington Semester.
• Advisory Council Member, Catholic Immigrant Integration Initiative, Center for Migration Studies.
• Reviewer, Sociological Forum.
• Reviewer, Political Research Quarterly. Presentations
• “To Empower or Marginalize: Latinos and the American Catholic Church” at the 14th International Poverty and Social Protection Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, March 2024.
• “To Empower or Marginalize: Latinos and the American Catholic Church” at the Western Political Science Association Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada, March 2024.
Publications
• “To Empower or Marginalize: Latinos and the American Catholic Church.” Poverty and Social Protection Conference (PSPC) Proceedings 2024.
Louise Kelly, PhD
Associate Professor, Exercise Science
Appointments
• Editor, Journal of Athletic Enhancement
• Editor, HealthCare
• Reviewer, Diabetes Care
• Reviewer, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
• Reviewer, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Reviewer, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. Publications
• “Initial Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Characteristics and Recovery Patterns Among Females Across the United States Military Service Academies: A Report from the NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium” with L.B. Lempke, E. Ermer, et al. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Sept. 24, 2023.
• “Relationship between adiponectin and blood pressure in obese Latino adolescent boys with a family history of type 2 diabetes” with K. Hijazin, B. Smith, C. Garrett and A. Knox. BMC Pediatrics, Vol. 23(1), Oct. 20, 2023.
• “Sport-Specific Recovery Trajectories for NCAA Collegiate Athletes Following Concussion” with S.W. Liebel, K.L. Van Pelt, et al. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Nov. 14, 2023.
• “Comparison of Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Fitness in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Elementary School Children” with H. Morales, M. Velasquez and S. Negrete. Healthcare 2023, Vol. 11(23), Nov. 23, 2023.
• “School Based Physical Activity Intervention to Reduce Obesity and Increase Physical Fitness in Obese Elementary Children” with students K. Sosa, E. Rodriguez, N. Nunez and M. Panosian. Journal of Pediatric Advance Research, Vol 3(1), 2024.
• “Factors Influencing Time to Return to Learn Among NCAA Student-Athletes Enrolled in the Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Study” with A.K. Memmini, T.R. Snedden, et al. Sports Medicine, Feb. 26, 2024.
• “Postinjury Outcomes After Non-Sport-Related Concussion: A CARE Consortium Study” with P.R. Roby, A.E. Mozel, et al. Journal of Athletic Training, Vol. 59(3), March 1, 2024.
• “The Interval Between Concussions Does Not Influence Time to Asymptomatic or Return to Play: A CARE Consortium Study” with E.J. Shumski, S.R. Eagle, et al. Sports Medicine, April 26, 2024.
• “The Prevalence and Influence of New or Worsened Neck Pain After a Sport-Related Concussion in Collegiate Athletes: A Study From the CARE Consortium” with J.A. King, L.D. Nelson, et al. American Journal of Sports Medicine, May 14, 2024.
Sophia Khadraoui-Fortune, PhD
Assistant Professor, Languages and Cultures
Appointments
• DEI Committee Board Member, California Language Teachers’ Association.
• Advanced Placement French Reader, College Board, Educational Testing Service.
• Academic Reviewer, Social and Cultural Geography Journal. Presentations
• “Dumas: A Commemorative Odyssey from General to Ghost to Shackles” at the 20th-21st Century French and Francophone Studies International Colloquium held at Villanova University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 2024.
• “Incorporating DEI in the World Language Classroom and Curriculum” as part of the California Language Teacher’s Association (CLTA) DEI Committee at the CLTA Pre-Conference Workshops, Monterey, California, March 2024.
Publications
• “Solitude, Monument Prothétique.” Special issue of Contemporary French & Francophone Studies / SITES Journal, Vol. (27)3, July 2023.
Sabith Khan, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Management
Appointments
• Book Awards Committee Member, ARNOVA, a professional network of scholars of philanthropy.
• Board member, Center for Nonprofit Leadership.
Presentations
• “Middle East peace talks: Examining the US role as a spoiler” at the Arab Studies Quarterly Conference held at California State University, San Bernardino, April 2024.
• “Navigating Development Pathways in the Evolving Global Order” at the 1st Development Studies International Conference, organized by the Department of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 2024.
Publications
• “Soft Power Amidst a Crisis: Return Migration and India’s Soft Power in the Persian Gulf.” Return Migration and Crises in Non-Western Countries, J. Yeo (Ed.), Springer: 2024.
• “Faith and Philanthropy” Encyclopedia entry. Encyclopedia of Nonprofit Organizations, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024.
• “Tackling homelessness in Ventura County.” Sage Business Case series, Sage Publishers, Thousand Oaks, California, 2024.
• “Ethics of nonprofit budgeting.” Sage Business Case series, Sage Publishers, Thousand Oaks, California, 2024.
• “Challenges to forming a Union in the U.S.” Sage Business Case series, Sage Publishers, Thousand Oaks, California, 2024.
Jodie Kocur, PhD
Professor, Psychology
Appointments
• Faculty Associate, Autism Communication Center, Thousand Oaks, California.
• Director, Introduction to College Life summer program for autistic high school students, July 2023.
Publications
• “Involvement in Advanced Placement Classes and Burnout in College” with student K.T. Vastine. Journal of Integrated Social Sciences, Vol. 13(1), 2023.
Michele LeBlanc, PhD
Nena Amundson Professor of Biomechanics, Exercise Science
Appointments
• Section Editor (Biomechanics), International Journal of Exercise Science. Presentations
• “Effect of Age and Sex on Lower Extremity Joint Power Coordination” with I. Martinez and K. Garcia at the American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, Denver, Colorado, June 2023.
• “Effect of Lead Leg and Fatigue on Ground Reaction Forces in Front Lunges” with student J. Holliday at the Southwest Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Conference, Costa Mesa, California, October 2023.
• “The Effects of Fatigue on Center of Pressure Measures During Front Lunges” with student L.C. Randall at the Southwest Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Conference, Costa Mesa, California, October 2023.
• “Vertical Ground Reaction Forces During Stair Descent Transition for Individuals with Femoroacetabular Impingement and Osteoarthritis” with M. Bahk, M. Mirisch, and students S. Peete and B. Truver at the Southwest Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Conference, Costa Mesa, California, October 2023.
• “Effect of Fatigue and Sex on Center of Pressure During the Front Lunge Exercise” with student L. Randall at the Rocky Mountain American Society of Biomechanics Meeting, Estes Park, Colorado, April 2024.
Publications
• “Effect of Age and Sex on Lower Extremity Joint Power Coordination” with I.G. Martinez and K.B. Garcia. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Vol. 55(9S), 2023.
• “Effect of Lead Leg and Fatigue on Ground Reaction Forces in Front Lunges” with student J. Holliday. International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings, Vol. 14(3), 2023.
• “The Effects of Fatigue on Center of Pressure Measures During Front Lunges” with student L.C. Randall. International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings, Vol. 14(3), 2023.
• “Vertical Ground Reaction Forces During Stair Descent Transition for Individuals with Femoroacetabular Impingement and Osteoarthritis” with M. Bahk, M. Mirisch and students S. Peete and B. Truver.
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings, Vol. 14(3), 2023.
• “Effect of robotic gait training on muscle and bone characteristics in spinal cord transected rats” with M. Moustafa-Bayoumi, student M. Soucy, et al. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, February 20, 2024.
Helen Ahn Lim, PhD
Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Presentations
• “NIBRS Reporting Trends and Human Trafficking Victimization” at the Annual Meeting of Western Society of Criminology, Long Beach, California, February 2024.
Ran Lu-Andrews, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Management
Appointments
• Board Member, Southwestern Finance Association.
Presentations
• “The Impact of Investor Sentiment on Share Liquidity: Examining The Roles of Religiosity and The Covid-19 Pandemic” with J. Garcia at the Southwestern Finance Association Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 2024.
Publications
• “An Overview of the Capital Raising Activities Among Proptech Firms” with L. Fu and Y. Yu-Thompson. Journal of Applied Business and Economics, Vol. 25(2), 2023.
Schannae Lucas, PhD
Professor, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Appointments
• Affirmative Action Committee Member, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
• Ethics Committee Member, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
• National Planning Committee Board Member, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 2026 Conference.
• Steering Committee Member, Inside-Out Training Institutes and Inside-Out 25th Anniversary Conference and Celebration, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Executive Board Member, Coalition for Family Harmony
• National Trainer Facilitator, Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program.
Presentations
• “The Challenges and Possibilities of Teaching Inside-Out in Jails” at the Inside-Out 25th Anniversary Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 2023.
• “Understanding the Needs of Inside-Out Prison Exchange Probationer Community Students Compared to Students in Custody” at the National American Society of Criminology Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2023.
Jacqueline Lyons, PhD Professor, English
Publications
• “Consider the Snowy Plover.” Poetry Ireland Review, Issue 141, December 2023.
JACQUELINE LYONS
Professor, English
I encourage students to read widely and write wildly. I emphasize a broad aesthetic and experimentation, so students find voices that speak to them most vitally, and hone a voice of their own in order to communicate their inner lives and their lived experiences.
Andrew Madrigal, M.S. Lecturer, Criminology and Criminal Justice
Appointments
• Member, Innocence Network Research Committee. Presentations
• “Advancing Social Justice through Interdisciplinary Work” with R. Norris and J. Umamaheswar at the American Society of Criminology Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2023.
• “The good, the bad, and the uncertain: Exoneree reentry services in the United States” at the American Psychology-Law Society Conference, Los Angeles, California, March 2024.
Publications
• “Stuck in Limbo: ‘Freedom’ Under the Shadow of a Wrongful Conviction” with R. Norris. Virginia Journal of Criminal Law, April 25, 2024.
ANDREW MADRIGAL
Lecturer, Criminology and Criminal Justice
I guide students to pursue their passions by sharing my own journey as a first-generation, system-impacted college student and by creating opportunities for experiential learning, which is crucial in a major like Criminology and Criminal Justice. Through mentorship, I do my best to help students discover their interests and connect them with the right resources and experiences to achieve their academic and career goals, ensuring they feel supported every step of the way.
• “The carceral experiences of the wrongfully convicted” with A. Richards-Karamarkovich and J. Umamaheswar. Handbook on Prisons and Jails, D. Rudes, G. Armstrong, K. Kras and T. Carter (Eds.), New York: Routledge, 2024.
Homero M. Magaña, MS, PPS, MA
Instructor, Graduate School of Education
Presentations
• “Support Families’ College and Career Dreams by Harvesting Opportunities” with C. Luna, Z. Juarez Aguilar, C. Leveaux and K. Vollmer at the California Association of School Counselors State Conference, Riverside, California, October 2023.
• “Harvesting Opportunities to Support Your Students’ College and Career Dreams” at the Hatching ResultsThe Hatching Hour-National Webinar, January 2024 (virtual).
• “Harvesting Opportunities to Support Your Students’ College and Career Dreams” at the 7th Annual National School Counseling Leadership Conference, San Diego, California, February 2024.
• “Creating Intentional Systems to Encourage and Elevate Diversity in Leadership” with L. McNeiley at the 7th Annual National School Counseling Leadership Conference, San Diego, California, February 2024.
• “School Counselor Educators and Professors Role Alike Collaboration” with W. Rock and B. Zyromski at the 7th Annual National School Counseling Leadership Conference, San Diego, California, February 2024.
• “Reimagine Tier 1 Core Counseling Curriculum in the Era of AI” with A. Argueta, N. Caballero, Z. Juarez Aguilar, C. Perez and A. Rincon at the Ventura County School Counselors Association Spring Workshop, “Effective Strategies for Delivering K-12 Tier 1 Lessons,” held at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, March 2024.
• “Triumphs of Tenacity: Narratives of First-Generation Transfers to Private Universities” with A. Garay, L. Perez and A. Sanchez at the Calling All Trailblazers: 6th Annual Men of Color Action Network Leadership Conference held at Long Beach Community College, California, April 2024.
• “A Social Justice, Equity, and Anti-Racist Toolkit for School Counselors” with C. Cobb-Dozier, G. Johnson, L. Martin, T. Nabulsi and A. Townsend at the “Empowering Voices, Transforming Communities & Advancing Wellbeing for All” Los Angeles County Office of Education Equity and Wellbeing Conference, Los Angeles, California, April 2024.
Valeria Makarova, PhD, MBA
Assistant Professor, School of Management
Exhibitions, Performances and Creative Projects
• 2023 School of Management Report to PRME (Principles of Responsible Management Education), an initiative of the United Nations Global Compact.
David Marcey, PhD
Fletcher Jones Professor of Developmental Biology Presentations
• “Mapping a Transgene with a Novel Expression Pattern in Drosophila melanogaster” with students K. Orr and A. Garay at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference held at Santa Clara University, California, April 2024.
• “A Genetic Modifier of Transgene Expression in Drosophila melanogaster” with student L. Tran at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference held at Santa Clara University, California, April 2024.
Jose Marichal, PhD
Professor, Political Science Publications
• “Fracking Twitter: Utilizing Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing Tools for Identifying Coalition and Causal Narratives” with A. Pattison, W. Cipolli III and C. Cherniakov. Politics & Policy, Vol. 51(5), October 2023.
• “El peligro de la Inteligencia Artificial para la Democracia (The Dangers of Artificial Intelligence for Democracy).” 33rd edition of the Anuario Internacional CIDOB (The Barcelona Center for International Affairs), November 2023.
• “The Critical Role of Lutheran Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” with students M. Goehner and T. Haug. Intersections: The Journal of Lutheran Higher Education, Vol. 59, 2024.
• “Why Do Some Shout and Others Stay Silent? Communication Context Consistency in Political Discourse Offline and on Facebook” with D. Waisenan and C.A. Platt. International Journal of Communication, Vol. 18, 2024.
Ryan Medders, PhD
Professor, Communication
Presentations
• “Student newsrooms, political climate and coverage of censorship” with K. Hettinga and S. Docter at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, Washington, D.C., August 2023.
Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, PhD
Professor, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary Appointments
• Member, Lutheran World Federation Taskforce for Developing a Climate Justice Policy.
• Advisory Board, Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology.
• Advisory Board, Institute for Christian Socialism.
• Alumni Advisory Council, Union Theological Seminary.
• Advisory Team, ELCA’s initiative in Climate Justice Ministry with Indigenous Young Adult Leaders.
• Editorial Board Member, Dialog: A Journal of Theology
• Doctoral Council, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California.
• Core Doctoral Faculty, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California.
• Guest Professor, School of Intersectional Ecotheology and Ecojustice Witness of the Council for World Missions, Zambia, September-October 2023.
• Guest Co-Editor, Dialog: A Journal of Theology, Vol. 62(3), Fall 2023.
Presentations
• Respondent, session on book series, T&T Clark Explorations in Theology, Gender and Ecology, H. Koster and A. Guðmundsdóttir (Eds.), at the American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, November 2023.
• Installation sermon for CAO of Lutheran Theological Seminary Southern, Columbia, South Carolina, November 2023.
• “Teaching Community Organizing in Theological Education: Pedagogical and Political Conundrums and Delights” at the Society of Christian Ethics Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, January 2024.
• Breakfast with an Author session for An Earthed Faith, Vol. 2: How Would We Know What God is Up To? edited with E. Conradie, for the Society of Christian Ethics Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, January 2024.
• “Building Moral Economies (Democratic, Ecological, Equitable): Healing from Empire,” endowed lectureship for Ministry Week on “Ministry in an Age of Empire” held at Brite Divinity School, Ft. Worth, Texas, February 2024.
• “Why Are Wealth Taxes Important from a Feminist Ethical Perspective?” at the NGO Forum of the 68th session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, for panel on “Zacchaeus Tax: Transforming the Global Economic System and Advancing Gender Justice,” New York, New York, March 2024.
• “Climate Justice and Faith — a Certificate with Global Reach” at the ELCA’s Theological Roundtable, Chicago, Illinois, March 2024.
Publications
• “Resistance and Re-building Economies for Life.” Blessed are the Peacemakers: Theology, Compassion and Action for a Global Mission. Essays in Honour of Munib Younan, M. Isaac and M. Leppäkari (Eds.), Helsinki: Luther-Agricola Society, 2023.
• “Paradox Explored: Climate Shame, Moral Agency, the Church, and the Birds.” Dialog: A Journal of Theology, Vol. 62(3), Fall 2023.
Marissa Ericson Morris, PhD Assistant Professor, Psychology
Presentations
• “Make it a Game! Transforming Familiar Game Paradigms to Fit Your Learning Objectives” with N. Talarico and A.J. Sell at the PsychTERMS Conference, December 2023 (virtual).
Publications
• “The sexual health needs of young women affected by breast cancer” with S. Washburn, A.A. Hanson, et al. Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship, Vol. 14(10), 2023.
• “Editorial: Electromagnetic field theories of consciousness: opportunities and obstacles” with T. Hunt, M. Jones, et al. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol. 17. February 2024.
• “Promising Directions: A Systematic Review of Psychosocial and Behavioral Interventions with Cultural Incorporation for Advanced and Metastatic Cancer” with K. Lave, K.K. Cheng, et al. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, March 2024.
Wyant Morton, DMA Professor, Music
Appointments
• Choral Director, Ascension Lutheran Church, Thousand Oaks, California.
• Founder/Artistic Director, Areté Vocal Ensemble, Thousand Oaks, California.
• Director, New West Symphony Chorus, Thousand Oaks, California.
Adjudicator:
• Southern California Vocal Association Festivals, Ventura/Santa Barbara Counties, March-April 2024.
• Heritage World Strides Festivals, Anaheim, California, April-May 2024.
• Forum Festivals, Santa Clarita, California, April-May 2024.
Exhibitions, Performances and Creative Projects
• Conductor of Handel’s “Messiah” (Christmas portion), Areté Symphonic Choir, Christmas with Areté Concert, Thousand Oaks, California, December 2023.
DAVID MARTIN
Assistant Professor, Visual Arts
Mentoring starts with listening to students — not just what they say in answers to questions, but what they talk about while engaged with course materials. It’s seeing what “lights them up” individually, and following up on those observations by offering suggestions for internships, opportunities and career paths they may not be aware of.
• Prepared the Cal Lutheran Choir for performances of Roger Kellaway’s “We the People,” New West Symphony, conducted by Michael Christie, Bank of America Performing Arts Center (Thousand Oaks) and Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center (Camarillo), California, January 2024.
• Prepared the New West Symphony Chorus for performances of Handel’s “Messiah,” New West Symphony conducted by Michael Christie, Bank of America Performing Arts Center (Thousand Oaks) and Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center (Camarillo), California, April 2024.
Lorena Muñoz, PhD
Associate Professor, Ethnic and Race Studies
Presentations
• “Invisible Wounds: Zimbabwean Transnational Mothering(s), Family Separations and Xenophobia in South Africa” at the 14th International Poverty and Social Protection Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, March 2024.
• “Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Competence: A Comprehensive Curriculum and Pedagogy Toolbox” with L. Santamaria at the WSCUC Accreditation Resource Conference, San Diego, California, April 2024.
• “Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Competence” with L. Santamaría at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, Waikiki, Hawaii, May 2024.
Publications
• “Queer Latinx Worldmakings: geographies of food, love and familia in prison.” Social & Cultural Geography, Oct. 13, 2023.
• “Queer Chicana/Latina Feminisms, World-Making and Latinx Geographies: Una Plática entre Nosotras” with M. Cahuas. ACME: An International Journal for Critical Geographies, Vol. 23(3), 2024.
Adina Nack, PhD
Professor, Sociology
Appointments
• By-laws Working Group Member and World AIDS Day Planning Committee Member, HIV/AIDS Coalition of Ventura County.
Presentations
• “The Future of Periods: Ending Stigma and Promoting Menstrual Equity” at Patagonia Events, Pasadena, California, August 2023.
Gabrielle Names, PhD
Assistant Professor, Biology
Appointments
• Junior Editorial Board Member, Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A
• Broadening Participation Committee Member, Society for Integrative & Comparative Biology.
Presentations
• “Parental Attentiveness in House Sparrows Across Varying Temperatures” with G.E. Gold, S. Aguilar, L.E. Chiesl, B.J. Heidinger and H.A. Mathewson at The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, November 2023.
GABRIELLE NAMES
Assistant Professor, Biology
Through research in the field and lab, I guide my students as they develop new skills and the confidence to pursue their academic goals.
• “Abundance and Effects of Microplastics on House Sparrow Nestlings and Eggs” with A. Hoxie, H.A. Mathewson, A. Mitchell, B.J. Heidinger and J. Smith at The Wildlife Society 30th Annual Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, November 2023.
• “Parental Provisioning in House Sparrows do not Vary Across Temperature Gradients with L.E. Chiesl, B.J. Heidinger and H.A. Mathewson at the Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Houston, Texas, February 2024.
• “Parental Attentiveness in House Sparrows a Latitudinal Temperature Gradient” with G.E. Gold, S. Aguilar, L.E. Chiesl, B.J. Heidinger and H.A. Mathewson at the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Conference, Houston, Texas, February 2024.
• “The influence of average nest temperature and variability on offspring survival in a widespread songbird” with G. Medicine Cloud, S.J. Lane, M. Guinn and B.J. Heidinger at the NSF Tribal Colleges and Universities Program, Alexandria, Virginia, February 2024. Publications
• “Climate change and its effects on body size and shape: the role of endocrine mechanisms” with J.L. Grindstaff, D.F. Westneat and B.J. Heidinger. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Vol. 379(1898), 2024.
Leanne Neilson, PsyD
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Appointments
• Board Member, Thousand Oaks Alliance for the Arts.
• Accreditation Reviewer, WASC Senior College and University Commission.
• Member, United Way Women United. Presentations
• “Using Data Effectively” at the Council of Independent Colleges’ Workshop for Department and Division Chairs, Long Beach, California, June 2023.
• “Navigating Complex Issues of Campus Discourse, Speech and Safety” at the WSCUC Accreditation Resource Conference, San Diego, California, April 2024.
DAVID NELSON
Professor, History
In my efforts to mentor students in and out of the classroom, I look for ways to encourage each student to discover topics or concerns that spark their curiosity the most. When curiosity is combined with deeply held interest, students’ research and career goals become clearer, the work required becomes more rewarding and of higher quality, and the difference becomes apparent to their professors as well as potential employers.
David Nelson, PhD Professor, History
Presentations
• “The Legacy of Korean-born Samurai in Early Edo Society” at The Sixteenth Century Society: A Society for Early Modern Studies, Baltimore, Maryland, October 2023.
Richard Neve, PhD
Visiting Lecturer, Political Science Presentations
• “Militant Democracy in America” at the Western Political Science Association Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada, March 2024.
Tracy Nickl, MBA
Assistant Professor, School of Management Awards
• Students’ Professor of the Month, October 2023. Appointments
• Board of Managers, Finance Committee, Ketchum Downtown YMCA.
• Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Providence Little Company of Mary Hospital Foundation.
• Board Member, Las Madrecitas Auxiliary of the Orthopaedic Institute for Children — UCLA Partner.
• Judge, American Marketing Association Collegiate Marketing Case Competition.
• Reviewer, ISCAP November 2023 Conference. Presentations
• “Dress to Impress? Does What You Wear in Your LinkedIn Profile Picture Impact Viewer Perceptions?” with N. Dens and A. Lievens at the International Conference on Research in Advertising, Bordeaux, France, June 2023.
Publications
• “Southwest Airlines Didn’t Crash, but It Nearly Fell Apart…” with P. Witman, J. Prior and S. Mackelprang. Proceedings of the ISCAP Conference ISSN, Vol. 2473, 2023.
• “Dress to Impress? Does What You Wear in Your LinkedIn Profile Picture Impact Viewer Perceptions?” with N. Dens and A. Lievens. Proceedings of the International Conference on Research in Advertising, Bordeaux, France, June 2023.
• “The Role and Impact of Employees’ Professional Profiles, Content, and Networks on Social Media in Building Personal and Corporate Brands” with A. Lievens and N. Dens, University of Antwerp, June 2023.
• “The Southwest Airlines Winter Meltdown. Case studies on risk, technical debt, operations, passengers, regulators, revenue and brand” with P. Witman, J. Prior and S. Mackelprang. Information Systems Education Journal, Vol. 22(5), 2024.
Christopher Njunge, PhD
Associate Professor, Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals
Publications
• “Analysis of Basketball Game-Related Statistics: Exploring the Statistics that Discriminate Winning Teams and Efficient Players in the Basketball Africa League” with S. Ng’etich. ISCAP Conference ISSN Proceedings, Vol. 2473, November 2023.
Barbara Miyuki Obermeier, MBA
Assistant Professor, Visual Arts
Publications
• Photoshop Elements 2024 for Dummies with T. Padova. John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, December 2023.
Mary Oksala, PhD
Associate Professor, Physics
Appointments
• Proposal Reviewer, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.
• Vice Chair, International Astronomical Union Working Group on Active B stars.
• Subject-matter Expert Reviewer, NASA peer review.
• Science Organizing Committee Member, Magnetic Fields from Clouds to Stars Conference, Tokyo, Japan, March 2024.
Presentations
• “Time-variations of the magnetic fields of two postMS B-type stars” at the 243rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 2024.
• “Observational studies of magnetic post-MS massive stars” at the Magnetic Fields from Clouds to Stars Conference, Tokyo, Japan, March 2024.
Mark Orlando, EdD
Assistant Professor, School of Management
Exhibitions, Performances and Creative Projects
• Development of “SPORTING CREATIVITY: Innovative Decision Making to Sports Business,” an online course simulator that provides an insightful dissection of identifiable elements that influence innovative measures to sport organizational decision making.
Dru Pagliassotti, PhD
Professor, Communication
Awards
• Iles Award for Research in Editing with K. Hettinga.
Michael Panesis, MBA
Executive Director, Steven Dorfman Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Steven Dorfman Professor of Practice, School of Management Awards
• NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence (Highly Commended), Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, 2023.
• San Fernando Valley Business Journal Most Influential List, 2023.
Appointments
• Steering Committee Member, Central Coast Innovation Awards.
• Board Member, Sensor Industries.
• Board Member, Kingsmen Shakespeare Company.
• Dorfman Incubator Grant Selection Committee, Steven Dorfman Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisory Council.
MICHAEL PANESIS
Steven Dorfman Professor of Practice, School of Management
Entrepreneurship is all about experience. We teach students how to engage the world, understanding what it’s telling them, and take action for positive change.
Presentations
• “Taking Entrepreneurship Education to the Woodshed: An Opportunity to Improve by Sharing Failures” at the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers, Dallas, Texas, October 2023.
• “Southern California Startup Ecosystems” at the Startup Blink Ecosystem Summit, October 2023 (virtual).
Sunyoung Park, PhD
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Psychology
Appointments
• Vice President, Korean-American Women in Science and Engineering.
• Mentor, Center for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (WISET).
• Reviewer, SIG-Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, AERA
• Reviewer, Journal of Human Understanding and Counseling, Sogang University Presentations
• “Application of Topic Modeling Techniques in MetaAnalysis Studies” with M. Hong at the International Meeting of the Psychometric Society, College Park, Maryland, July 2023.
• “Untangling the Effects: A Meta-Analysis Examining the Impact of Professional Development Programs for K-12 Science Teachers” with H. You, M. Hong, et al. at the annual meeting of National Association for Research in Science Teaching Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, March 2024.
• “Cultural Differences Among South Asians and Caucasians: Mental Health Stigma and Help-seeking Attitudes” with H.C. Grewal and E. Hooper at the Western Psychological Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
Publications
• “Application of Topic Modeling Techniques in MetaAnalysis Studies” with M. Hong. Quantitative Psychology, M. Wiberg, J.S. Kim, et al. (Eds.). Springer, Cham., 2023.
Michael Pearce, PhD, MFA
Professor, Visual Arts
Appointments
• Board Member, The Psychedelic Arts and Culture Trust.
Publications
Books:
• Kitsch, Propaganda, and the American Avant-Garde Second Edition, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2024.
Articles:
American Art Collector:
• “Renato Muccillo — The Promised Land.” June 2023.
• “Adrian Cox — Into the Borderlands.” June 2023.
• “F. Scott Hess — Mythology Making.” July 2023.
• “The Portable Window — Scott Prior’s Seasons.” August 2023.
• “Exhibition Preview, Art with Impact (At First Blush).” September 2023.
• “Rebecca Orcutt — Looking at Someone Looking.” September 2023.
• “A Garden of Imagery — Julie Heffernan.” October 2023.
• “Into the Volcano with Victor Wang.” November 2023.
• “Life Embodied. Contemporary Realism by Juliette Aristides, Alan LeQuire, and Richard Greathouse.” December 2023.
• “Jamie Adams, Movies and the Mannered Body.” March 2024.
• “Rose Freymuth-Frazier, Queen of Hearts.” May 2024.
American Fine Art Magazine:
• “Modernist Mystic — Agnes Pelton.” May/June 2023.
• “Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson — Exhibit Preview.” July/August 2023.
• “American Sublime.” July/August 2023.
• “Exhibition Preview, Whistler.” September/October 2023.
• “The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism.” May/June 2024.
Fine Art Connoisseur:
• “Ezra Tucker’s Fresh Look at the West.” May/June 2023.
• “Enduring Darkness. Edgar Jerins’ Life in Charcoal.” November/December 2023.
• “The Gravity of Play: Simon Dinnerstein’s Voyage.” March/April 2024.
• “Odd Nerdrum: At Home in Norway.” May/June 2024.
Mutual Art:
• “Zhu Xinyu in the Sublime City.” June 1, 2023.
• “Taylor Schultek — Command and Control.” June 7, 2023.
• “Book Review — Ithell Colquhoun Lonely Surrealist Path.” June 29, 2023.
• “Keju Wang’s Faux Cultural Appropriation.” July 13, 2023.
• “Mystery, Narrative, and Traditional Expertise: Alessandro Sicioldr.” July 21, 2023.
• “Book Review: A Sacred Journey. A Delightful Illustration of the Journey to Nirvana.” Aug. 2, 2023.
• “Hilma af Klint Catalogue Raisonné review.” Sept. 28, 2023.
• “Possessed by Ariel, Maria Kreyn’s Tempest.” Oct. 20, 2023.
• “Deadhead Resurrection — Aoxomoxoa Revived.” Oct. 26, 2023.
• “The Metamorphoses of Adam Miller.” Nov. 10, 2023.
• “Paul Fenniak’s Fountain.” Nov. 16, 2023.
• “Book Review — A Splendid Land. Paintings from Udaipur.” Nov. 23, 2023.
• “Book Review, A Hardback Instagram Feed, More Disruption.” Dec. 13, 2023.
• “The Inevitable Fate of a Shooting Star: Ewa Juszkiewicz at Gagosian.” Jan. 5, 2024.
• “Dark Star — Ruben Pang.” Jan. 9, 2024.
• “The Fine Art of Violence.” Jan. 12, 2024.
• “Enter the Dragon.” Feb. 8, 2024.
• “Odd Nerdrum’s Theatre of Hermaphrodites.” Feb. 14, 2024.
• “Book review, Rob Zeller — New Surrealism.” Feb. 23, 2024.
• “The Antique Dragons of the West.” Feb. 29, 2024.
• “Book Review: Insanity and the Transcendent Sky (John Schueler, The Sound of Sleat).” March 7, 2024.
• “Godfathers of Psychedelic and Visionary Art.” March 22, 2024.
• “The Medieval Dragon.” March 28, 2024.
• “Modification, Millennials and the Mutant Beasts.” April 3, 2024.
• “Barbarian Dragons of the Ancient World.” April 10, 2024.
• “Book Review: Johannes Itten, Elevated Avant-Garde.” April 12, 2024.
• “The Pre-Raphaelites and Their Predecessors.” April 19, 2024.
• “The Evolution of Dragons.” April 25, 2024.
• “Book Review: Richard Wagner and the Art of the Avant-Garde.” May 8, 2024.
• “Tatewari’s Rain and The Wixaritari Peyote.” May 15, 2024.
• “The Ascent of Agnes Pelton’s Purple Star.” May 21, 2024.
• “Sublime Northern Landscapes.” May 28, 2024.
• The New Journal of the Philosophical Research Society:
• “The Occult Art of August Knapp.” March 3, 2023.
• “Acacia and Emergence.” June 2, 2023.
Spiked:
• “Just Stop Oil: Cosplay Radicals.” Nov. 13, 2023.
Edlyn Peña, PhD Professor, Graduate School of Education
Presentations
• “Together in solidarity: Confronting ableism and cultivating collective access” with D. Blake, J.R. Karpicz, et al. at the Association for the Study of Higher Education Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 2023.
• “Increasing text-based multimodal communication opportunities for nonspeaking students in education” with L. Quinn and J. Sando at the TASH Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, November 2023.
Chang-Shyh Peng, PhD
Professor, Computer Science
Appointments
• Editor, Global Science and Technology Forum Journal on Operating Systems and Programming Languages
• Editorial Board Member, Emerging Science Journal
• Editorial Board Member, Italian Journal of Science and Engineering.
• Reviewer, Springer Publishing.
• Reviewer, Mathematics, an MDPI Journal.
• Faculty Representative, National Center for Women & Information Technology Academic Alliance.
• Liaison, Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance.
• Program Committee, 25th IEEE/ACIS International Winter Conference on Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Parallel/Distributed Computing.
• Program Committee, 8th IEEE/ACIS International Conference on Big Data, Cloud Computing, and Data Science.
• Program Committee, 10th International Conference on Computational Science/Intelligence and Applied Infomatics.
• Program Committee, 3rd ACIS International Conference of Artificial Intelligence.
• Program Committee, 3rd IEEE/ACIS International Conference on Computer and Information Science.
Moses Penumaka, ThD
Director, Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM), Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Appointments
• President, Association of Asian and Pacific Islanders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
• Board Member, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Advisory Board for Strategic Diversity.
• Innovation Team Member, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
• Member, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Educational Debt Task Force.
• Candidacy Committee Member, Alaska Synod, Northwest Intermountain Synod and Oregon Synod.
JASON PEPLINSKI
Distinguished Educator in Residence, Graduate School of Education
I always encourage leaders to start their leadership journey with their legacy in mind. It is important to establish your ethical framework and even when challenged, remain committed to decision making that you are proud to stand by at the end of your career.
Jason Peplinski, EdD
Distinguished Educator in Residence, Graduate School of Education Awards
• Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award 2023.
Appointments
• Director, Association of California School Administrators’ New Superintendent Seminar Series.
• Board Member, Capables Foundation.
Geoffrey Plourde, JD, CPA
Lecturer, School of Management
Presentations
• “Activists at the Gate: How do shareholder activists affect management attitudes toward innovation?” at the Western Academy of Management Conference, Long Beach, California, March 2024.
Noelle Porter, MFA
Associate Professor, Theatre Arts Exhibitions, Performances and Creative Projects
• Costume Designer, As You Like It, directed by W. Bowles, Kingsmen Shakespeare Company, Thousand Oaks, California.
• Costume Designer, Newsies, directed by R. Hinds, 5-Star Theatricals.
Sofia Ramirez Davis, EdD
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Education
Appointments
• Site Director, No Limits for Deaf Children, Oxnard, California.
Presentations
• “Impact of Hearing Loss on Literacy Development” at the California State University Northridge Audiology Department, June 2023.
• “The Dynamic Career of an Educator of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing” at the Ventura County Future and Current Educators Conference, Camarillo, California, April 2024.
• “Helping Children with Hearing Loss Comprehend Language” at the No Limits Building Connections Conference, Oxnard, California, April 2024.
• “Adolescent development, Are you Ready?” at the No Limits Parent Advocacy Workshop, Oxnard, California, April 2024.
Bryan Rasmussen, PhD
Professor, English
Appointments
• Peer Reviewer, American Literary History
Presentations
• “Teaching with Acorns: Toward a Place-Based Pedagogy of Community Resilience and Intergenerational Justice in the Environmental Humanities” at the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment Conference, Portland, Oregon, July 2023.
• “Angling in the Anthropocene” at the American Society for Environmental History Conference, Denver, Colorado, April 2024.
Publications
• “Angling in the Anthropocene: Carp and the Making of Race on the Los Angeles River.” Rewilding the Urban Frontier: River Conservation in the Anthropocene, G. Gordon (Ed.), U Nebraska Press, 2024.
Michaela Reaves, PhD Professor, History
Awards
• Daughters of the American Revolution Women in American History Medal, March 4, 2024. Appointments
• Organizer, “One County, One Book for Ventura County, Solito by Javier Zamora,” Thousand Oaks, California, September 2023.
• Organizer, “One City, One Book for Thousand Oaks, The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi,” Thousand Oaks, California, April 2024.
• History and Culture Focus Group Member, Ventura County Museum Strategic Plan.
• Advanced Placement United States History Reader, College Board, Educational Testing Service.
SETAYESH SATTARI
Associate Professor, School of Management
Through a blend of hands-on projects and partnerships, I mentor students to apply their learning in real-world contexts, emphasizing environmental sustainability and social responsibility. This holistic approach not only prepares them for professional success but also instills a commitment to making a positive impact across diverse communities.
Presentations
• “Civil Liberties Public Education Program — Sharing Session,” Library Development Services, California State Library, December 2023 (virtual).
Angela Rowley, MS
Lecturer, Graduate School of Education Presentations
• “Decolonizing and Transforming Education: Supporting First-Generation Student Success in Higher Education” with H. Coronado and students U. Castro and J. Herrera at the Conference for Social Justice in Education held at Change to CSU Channel Islands, California, March 2024.
Setayesh Sattari, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Management Appointments
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Marketing Education
• Reviewer, Journal of Innovation and Knowledge
• Reviewer, Journal of Business Research
• Steering Committee Member, Women in Cleantech at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator.
Presentations
• “Click, Connect, and Change: Leveraging Social Media for (DEIJ) Engagement in Business Education” with A. Denq and student D. Warsi at the 65th Annual Western Academy of Management Conference, Long Beach, California, March 2024.
LaVerne Seales, PhD
Associate Professor, Languages and Cultures
Appointments
• Chair and Presiding Officer of the Spanish and Portuguese (Latin American) permanent session for the 2023 Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference.
• Proposal Committee Co-Chair, Museum Association of the Caribbean.
• Chair, Youth Strategy Committee for The Afro-Antillean Museum of Panama.
• Corresponding Secretary and Hospitality Chair, San Fernando Valley Chapter of Jack and Jill of America.
• Advisory Committee, House of Panama at Balboa Park, San Diego, California.
Presentations
• “Reaching New Audiences: Student News Organizations’ Spanish-Language Coverage” with S. Wigginton, K. Hettinga, M. Gracyalny and students C. Aasen and R. Martinez at the 106th Annual Conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Washington, D.C., August 2023.
• “African Diaspora: Afro-Caribbeans (Re)Presented in Ruby Visits the Afro-Caribbean Museum of Panama” at The Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association 120th Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon, October 2023.
• “The Celebration of Afro-Caribbean Identity in Ruby Visits the Afro-Caribbean Museum of Panama by Juan A. Rios Vega and Melva Lowe de Goodin” at The London International Conference on Postcolonial Studies, October 2023 (virtual).
• “Afro-Panamanian Racial Disparities: A Study Grounded in Critical Race Theory” at the 14th International Poverty and Social Protection Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, March 2024.
Andrea Sell, PhD Associate Professor, Psychology
Appointments
• Member, Council of Undergraduate Research Content Development and Strategy Advisory Group.
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Integrated Social Sciences Presentations
• “Make it a Game! Transforming Familiar Game Paradigms to Fit Your Learning Objectives” with N. Talarico and M. Ericson at the PsychTERMS Conference, December 2023 (virtual).
• “Too cute to be disgusting: The perception of dog vs human chewing sounds” with N. Ayala-Brown, M. Gamez, et al. at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
• “A distraction from distraction: The effects of phone use on mind-wandering and creativity” with N. Ayala-Brown, M. Gamez, et al. at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
Publications
• “Emotion recognition and memory in individuals with high autistic tendencies during the COVID-19 pandemic” with student C. Beeson. Journal of Integrated Social Sciences, Vol. 13(1), 2023.
Christine Sellin, PhD Professor, Visual Arts
Appointments
• Research Associate, UCLA Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.
Mary Jo Shane, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Management
Presentations
• “Developing Cultural Intelligence for a VUCA World” with A. Azevedo at the Western Business and Management Association International Research Conference for the Management Disciplines, New York, New York, April 2024 (virtual).
Publications
• “Developing Cultural Intelligence for a VUCA World” with A. Azevedo. Journal of Business Management and Change, Spring 2024.
Ryan Sharma, PsyD, ABPP
Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Graduate School of Psychology
Appointments
• President, National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology.
• Treasurer and Secretary, American Board of Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology.
Presentations
• “Firefighters are an underserved population? An example of applied cultural humility in meeting a community need” with R. Wyatt at the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology Midwinter Conference, Denver, Colorado, January 2024.
Mel Spence, EdD
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education
Presentations
• “PAGES: Project for the Advancement of Gifted and Exceptional Students: Years 4-5” with A. Nguyen and A. Tseng at the Council for Exceptional Children Teacher Education Division Conference, Long Beach, California, October 2023.
• “PAGES: Project for the Advancement of Gifted and Exceptional Students: The Final Year” with A. Nguyen, A. Tseng and T-L Ma at the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence Conference, November 2023 (virtual).
• “Creating Pathways to Inclusion & Equity for Students with Disabilities: Insights from GSOE Scholars, California Lutheran University” with E. Peña and S. Ramirez for the Project for the Advancement of Gifted and Exceptional Students (PAGES), Thousand Oaks, California, March 2024.
Mark Spraggins, DMA
Professor, Music
Exhibitions, Performances and Creative Projects
• “Lux Beata Trinitas,” an a cappella choral work based on the hymn text “Lux Beata Trinitas.” Performed by the California Lutheran University Choir on their Spring 2024 tour of Austria and the Czech Republic.
• Film score for the independent short film “Wisteria.” Premiered in January 2024.
MARK SPRAGGINS
Professor, Music
My course assignments are designed to be hands-on and simulate real-world situations. The goal is to have students enter the professional world with marketable skills and a strong theoretical foundation.
Kirsi Stjerna, PhD
Professor, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
Appointments
• Chair, Department of Historical and Cultural Studies of Religion and Spirituality, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California.
• Steering Committee Member, Women Studies in Religion Certificate, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California.
• Core Doctoral Faculty, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California.
Presentations
• “Theological education in California and USA in general” at the Ecumenics Seminar held at Helsinki University, Finland, January 2024.
Publications
• “Confessing with Courage and Conviction: Women and the European Reformation.” Reformation and Everyday Life (Refo500 Academic Studies), B.K. Holm and N.J. Koefoed (Eds.), Vandenhoeck&Ruprecht Gmbh, 2023.
• “Martin Luther on Faith and Union with God: Speculations on Theosis.” Faith, Reason, and Theosis (Orthodox Christianity and Contemporary Thought), A. Papanikolau and G.E. Demacopoulos (Eds.), Fordham University Press, 2023.
• “Concilium Augustanum (1530).” Introduction and editor, Synods of the Churches of and after the Reformation: The Dawn of the Reformation (16th-17th Centuries), A. Melloni and G. Braghi (Eds.), Brepols, 2024.
Russell Stockard Jr., PhD
Professor, Communication
Appointments
• Board Member, UCLA Alumni Association, Conejo Valley Chapter.
• Board Member, Ventura County Poetry Project.
Presentations
• “The Digital Representation of Social Construction of Black & LatinX Digital Nomadism in the Caribbean” at the Caribbean Studies Association Conference, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, June 2023.
Anita Stone, PhD
Associate Professor, Biology
Appointments
• Editorial Board Member, Neotropical Primates
• Biological Anthropology Scientific Panel Reviewer, National Science Foundation.
• Reviewer, American Journal of Primatology.
• Reviewer, International Journal of Primatology.
• Reviewer, Primates.
Presentations
• “Capture of wild squirrel monkeys in Brazil using vegetation islands and netting” with P.H.G. Castro at the International Primatological Society Congress, Kuching, Malaysia, August 2023.
• “Exploring the Fattening Phenomenon in Male Squirrel Monkeys and Its Correlation with Male-Male Competition” with students J. Carrell and J. Kinsley at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference held at Santa Clara University, California, April 2024.
• “The role of female choice in the seasonal fattening of male squirrel monkeys (Saimiri collinsi)” with student N. Miller at the West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference held at Santa Clara University, California, April 2024.
Nicole Talarico, PhD Lecturer, Psychology
Presentations
• “Perceptions of Older Adults in the Health and Fitness Industry” with student M. Sable at the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research held at California State University, Fullerton, November 2023.
• “Generation’s Z: Sources of Sexual Information” with students G. Schifrin and J. Todd at the Southern California Conference for Undergraduate Research held at California State University, Fullerton, November 2023.
• “Make it a Game! Transforming Familiar Game Paradigms to Fit Your Learning Objectives” with A.J. Sell and M. Ericson at the PsychTERMS Conference, December 2023 (virtual).
• “Implicit Ageism Within the Fitness Industry: Differences Between Younger and Older Adults” with student M. Sable at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
• “Gen Z’s Experience with Sexual Health Education: Familiarity, Feelings and Comfort when Learning about Sexual and Reproductive Health” with student G. Schifrin at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
• “LGBTQ+ Generation Z: The Impact of Self-efficacy When Discussing Sexual Health” with students G. Schifrin and J. Blank at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
• “Comfort Discussing Sexual Topics within the Gen Z Hispanic and LatinX Community: Examining Stigmatized vs. Non-Stigmatized Subjects” with students J. Todd and C. Villa at the Western Psychological Association Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2024.
Da’Shay Templeton, PhD
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Education Publications
• “Applying the Bystander Intervention Model to Racial Microaggressions in College Students” with L. Jenkins, L.R. Marks, et al. International Journal of Bullying Prevention, January 2024.
• “Social Cognitive Predictors of Bystander Intervention in Racial Microaggressions among College Students” with L. Marks, L. Jenkins, et al. Race and Social Problems, Vol. 16(2), 2024.
Victor Thasiah, PhD Professor, Religion
Appointments
• Board President, Runners for Public Lands.
• Board Member, Los Padres ForestWatch. Presentations
• “Thich Nhat Hanh, a Mountain Forest, and Equitable Access to Nature” at the American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, November 2023.
DA’SHAY TEMPLETON
Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Education
I have a collaborative, apprenticeship style teaching philosophy wherein I strive to sell my students on the subject matter, actuate their prior knowledge, and bolster their selfefficacy via mentoring, experiential learning, and student-led research.
Publications
• “Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s Ecological Imagination.” Views of Nature and Dualism: Rethinking Philosophical, Theological, and Religious Assumptions in the Anthropocene, T.J. Hastings and K. Saether (Eds.), Palgrave MacMillan, 2024.
Samuel Thomas, PhD
Professor, Religion
Appointments
• Board of Directors Vice President, Los Padres ForestWatch.
Daniel Tillapaugh, PhD
Professor, Graduate School of Education
Appointments
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of College Student Development
JOSE TORRES
Assistant Professor, Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals
Student mentorship, experiential learning, research projects, and learning inside and outside the classroom have helped my students find what they are most interested and passionate about. These different pedagogical approaches have helped my students bridge their classroom knowledge with real-world experiences.
• Guest Co-editor, Journal on Women and Gender in Higher Education, curating a special issue on critical perspectives on gender and leadership in higher education published in 2024.
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Men’s Studies
• Application Reader, The National LGBTQ Scholarship Fund, The Point Foundation.
• Leadership Specialist, Hazing Prevention Consortium, StopHazing.
• EOPS and CARE Advisory Board Member, Pierce College, Los Angeles, California.
• Invited Reviewer, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Presentations
• “Cultivating and conceptualizing allyship: Applying a liberatory consciousness to safe zones” with D.C.J. Catalano, N. Tissi-Gassoway, et al. at the Association for the Study of Higher Education Annual Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 2023. Publications
• “Masculinity as violence: College men sexual violence survivors and the impact of hegemonic masculinity.” International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Vol. 37(4), 2024.
• “Disrupting and problematizing the intersection of gender and leadership in higher education” with P. Haber-Curran. Journal of Women and Gender in Higher Education, Vol. 17(1), 2024.
• “‘More than lip service’: LGBTQ+ social justice educational interventions as institutional benign neglect” with D.C.J. Catalano, S. Simms and R. Christiaens. Review of Higher Education, Vol. 47(3), 2024.
Jose Torres, PhD
Assistant Professor, Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals
Presentations
• “Multigenerational Punishments on the Children of Salvadoran Immigrant and Deported Fathers” at the American Society of Criminology Annual Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2023.
• “The Borders Between US: The Effects of Deportation on Salvadoran Men’s Romantic Relationships” at the Western Society of Criminology Annual Conference, Long Beach, California, February 2024.
• “Incorporating Experiential Learning in Criminology and Criminal Justice Courses” at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 2024.
Publications
• “Multigenerational Punishments on the Children of Salvadoran Immigrant and Deported Fathers.” Sociology Compass, Vol. 17(12), December 2023.
• “The Transnational Fathering Practices of Deported Men in El Salvador.” Sociology Compass, Vol. 18(2), February 2024.
Vlad Vaiman, PhD
Professor, School of Management Appointments
• Organizer, 12th EIASM Workshop on Talent Management (with H. Scullion and D. Collings), Lyon, France, 2023.
• Vice Chair and Board Member, Ventura County Economic Development Association.
• Chief Editorial Consultant, European Journal of International Management
• Editorial Board Member, Human Resource Management Review.
• Editorial Board Member and Reviewer, Journal of Global Mobility
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Knowledge Management
• Editorial Board Member, Advances in Global Leadership
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Organizational Effectiveness.
• Reviewer, Academy of Management Learning and Education
• Reviewer, Journal of International Business Studies
• Reviewer, Management and Organization
• Reviewer, Journal of Organizational Change Management
• Reviewer, International Business Review
• Reviewer, Human Resource Management Presentations
• “The Effect of Sanctions on Macro Talent Management: The Case of Russia” with I. Alon at the Academy of International Business Conference, Warsaw, Poland, July 2023.
• “Talent Management Café: Exploring Priorities for Future Research in Macro Talent Management Symposium” with K.A. King, S. Khilji and I. Tarique at the Academy of Management Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, August 2023. Publications
• “Talent Retention Strategies for Highly Skilled Migrants” with J. Zikic and K. Usanova, The Society for Human Resources Management, SHRM.org, 2023 (online).
• “Reflections from the Outgoing and Incoming Editorin-Chief, and EJIM’s Chief Editorial Consultant” with I. Alon and N.F. Richter. European Journal of International Management, Vol. 20(2), 2023.
• “Global Talent Management: Past, Present, and Future” with D.G. Collings. Readings and Cases in International Human Resource Management, 7th Edition, B.S. Reiche, G.K. Stahl, M.E. Mendenhall, and G.R. Oddou (Eds.), New York City/London: Routledge, 2023.
• Smart Talent Management: Managing People as Knowledge Assets, 2nd Edition. Edited with C. Vance, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023.
• “How to Fix a Rift in an Organization.” CSQ Magazine, April 25, 2024.
• “The Role of Disruptive Technologies in Talent Management in Nordic Multinational Enterprises” with V. Khoreva and T. Boundarouk. Research Handbook on Human Resource Management and Disruptive Technologies, R. Boundarouk and J. Meijerink (Eds.), London: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024.
Sheridan Wigginton, PhD
Professor, Languages and Cultures
Presentations
• “Dominican Representation in Introductory Level Spanish Textbooks in the United States” at the Twentyfirst International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities — Literary Landscapes: Forms on Knowledge in the Humanities, Faculté des Lettres de Sorbonne Université, Paris, France, June 2023 (virtual).
• “Reaching New Audiences: Student News Organizations’ Spanish-Language Coverage” with L. Seales, K. Hettinga, M. Gracyalny and students C. Aasen and R. Martinez at the 106th Annual Conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Washington, D.C., August 2023.
Khrystyne Wilson, PhD, JD
Assistant Professor, Religion
Appointments
• Steering Committee Member, American Academy of Religion Native American Religious Traditions. Publications
• “Eagle Permits, RFRA, and American Indian Religious Freedom: Legal Avenues for First Amendment Protection.” UCLA School of Law Indigenous Peoples’ Journal of Law, Culture & Resistance, Vol. 8(1), 2023.
Akiko Yasuike, PhD
Professor, Sociology
Appointments
• Sociology Main Divisional Editor, Journal of Integrated Social Sciences
KHRYSTYNE WILSON
Assistant Professor, Religion
During my time here at CLU I have been helping students realize what they want to do by letting students chose research topics.
Brandy Yee, PhD
Assistant Professor, Liberal Studies in Education
Appointments
• Editor, PDS Partners: Bridging Research to Practice Digital Content.
Presentations
• “Celebrating Identity: Empowering Young Learners through Name Stories” with graduate student M. Dennin at the National Association of School University Partnerships Annual Conference, Anaheim, California, March 2024.
• “The NASUP Publications Committee: An Overview of the Present and a Glimpse into the Future” at the National Association of School University Partnerships Annual Conference, Anaheim, California, March 2024.
• “Equity in Education” invited presentation for the general assembly of members and the executive board of the German organization, Deutsche Telekom Stiftung, in preparation for the upcoming release of their magazine Sonar, Germany’s largest education publication, March 2024 (virtual).
• “Beyond 21st Century Learning — Creating Schools Where Today’s Students Thrive” invited public lecture sponsored by the Deutsche Telekom Foundation, Heidelberg, Germany, May 2024.
Publications
• Invited interview conducted by German Reporter, Daniel Schwitzer of the Deutsche Telekom Foundation, focused on embracing and capitalizing on diversity in education systems around the world. Sonar, Germany’s largest education publication, Spring 2024.
Ariana Young, PhD
Associate Professor, Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals
Appointments
• Editorial Board Member, Journal of Integrated Social Sciences
Presentations
• “Armchair detectives: The relationship between crime media consumption and personality” with A. ElBassiouny and students S. Knopp and A. Fisicaro at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, February 2024.
• “The power of groups: Collective effervescence is related to group fitness participation” with J.L. Scheid and S.P. Lupien at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, May 2024.
GRANTS AND CONTRACTS
Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (CERF)
Matthew Fienup, PhD, Executive Director, Center for Economic Research and Forecasting
Dan Hamilton, PhD, Director of Economics, Center for Economic Research and Forecasting
• $200,000 from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation to produce the 2024 U.S. Latina GDP Report.
• $58,880 combined sponsorships to support production of the 2024 CERF Ventura County Economic Forecast Publication and Event, featuring guest speaker David Bahnsen of the Bahnsen Group and Capital Record podcast.
Other Program Grants and Contracts
Gerhard Apfelthaler, PhD, Dean, School of Management
• $2,500 from Montecito Bank and Trust to support the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting’s annual Ventura County Economic Forecast event.
Adam Braun, PhD, Assistant Professor, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
• $35,000 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Service and Justice Grant to do gender/sexuality justice organizing work in Asia.
Mina Chun, PhD, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Education
Michael Hillis, PhD, Dean, Graduate School of Education
Kelsi Sims-Schneider, MA, Visiting Lecturer, Graduate School of Education
• $1,600,000 Teacher Residency Implementation Grant for two years ($800,000 per year) from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to implement a teacher residency program in partnership with the Ventura County Office of Education.
• $250,000 Teacher Residency Capacity Grant from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to develop a teacher residency program in partnership with the Ventura County Office of Education.
Brian Collins, PhD, Associate Professor, Philosophy
• $1,000 from the Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO) to assist in funding the SoCal Philosophy Academy’s annual Summer Philosophy Institute for high school students.
Jamshid Damooei, PhD, Professor, School of Management
• $29,550 from the Ventura County Family Justice Center for the Center for Economics of Social Issues (with Daniel Sandoval, PhD) to evaluate the efficacy of the Ventura County Family Justice Center through the lens of social determinants of health.
Robert Dull, PhD, Associate Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
• $30,000 from an anonymous donor for the completion of core storage for the PaleoEcological Analysis and Research Laboratory (PEARL).
Rafaela Fiore Urizar, PhD, Professor, Languages and Cultures
Sophia Khadraoui-Fortune, PhD, Assistant Professor, Languages and Cultures
Ryan Medders, PhD, Professor, Communication
• $266,936 from the U.S. Department of Education for the ALLICE project, Advancing Language Learning and Internationalization of Curriculum Enhancement, to increase the number of students on campus who are able to travel abroad and to support Spanish and French language majors.
Megan Fung, PhD, Assistant Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences
• $78,000 from the G.A. Foster Legacy Foundation to support the SEEd (Sustainable Edible Education) Garden on campus.
Jennifer Gamarra, PhD, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Psychology
• $4,000 from the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology and from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America to cover travels costs to meetings.
Dana Harmon, PhD, Assistant Professor, Biology
• $34,710 American Association of University Women Research Publication Grant in Engineering, Medicine, and Science for 2023-2024 to fund a project to study the contribution of the EmrAB-TolC efflux pump in regulation of metabolism in E. coli.
Timothy Hengst, MA, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
• $8,500 from the City of Thousand Oaks for the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company.
Kirstie Hettinga, PhD, Associate Professor, Communication
• $5,000 from the Arthur Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication to address audience perceptions of ethics training disclosure, with A. Appelman (University of Kansas).
Michael Hillis, PhD, Dean, Graduate School of Education
Jason Peplinski, EdD, Distinguished Educator in Residence, Graduate School of Education
• $660,000 from the Diverse Education Leaders Pipeline Initiative Grant Program for a collaboration between the Santa Maria Bonita School District and the Graduate School of Education.
Rick Holigrocki, PhD, Dean and PsyD Program Director, Graduate School of Psychology
• $67,000 from Southern Smoke Foundation for a program called “Behind You: Community Counseling Service’s Assistance Fund for Food and Beverage Industry Workers.”
• $54,500 from the City of Oxnard to provide vital mental health services to residents in Oxnard.
Michele LeBlanc, PhD, Nena Amundson Professor of Biomechanics, Exercise Science
• $1,231,000 from the Ahmanson Foundation for renovations to the Ahmanson Science Center.
• $500,000 from the Fletcher Jones Foundation for renovations to the Ahmanson Science Center.
David Martin, MFA, Assistant Professor, Visual Arts
• $15,000 from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Climate Initiative to fund a renewable energy microgrid on land at the foot of the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve to allow the nonprofit “Art in Residence” to host events regularly at the property and expand their exhibition capabilities by allowing for installations with audio and/or lighting components.
Alison McCormick, MA, Director, California Reading and Literature Project
Diane Rodriguez-Kiino, PhD, Professor, Graduate School of Education
• $53,545 from the University of California to implement the California Reading and Literature Project, providing transformative professional learning to educators in reading and literacy.
Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, PhD, Professor, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
• $5,000 from the American Academy of Religion and the Henry Luce Foundation to hire a web designer for her book series Building a Moral Economy, which speaks to the urgency of climate and social justice issues.
Adina Nack, PhD, Professor, Sociology
Tanya Wicks, MPH, Adjunct Faculty Member, Sociology
• $10,000 from Kaiser Permanente to support the Public Health Internship Program.
Moses Penumaka, ThD, Director, Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM), Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
• $50,000 from the Bolick Foundation through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for TEIL Theological Education for Indigenous Leaders programming.
• $45,000 from the Lily Foundation for the TEEM Fall Theological Conference.
Sofia Ramirez Davis, EdD, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Education
• $1,241,679 from the U.S. Department of Education to launch a project to support learners who are deaf or hard of hearing. This grant will transform the Deaf and Hard of Hearing teacher credential program, providing financial support to a new generation of teachers who will support this underserved group of students.
Ryan Sharma, PsyD, ABPP, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Graduate School of Psychology
• $2,000 from the American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs to support the costs of recording and disseminating conference materials.
Da’Shay Templeton, PhD, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Education
• $24,000 Helping Hands’ Social Justice Award research grant supports multiple mixed methods projects on school discipline by providing support to pay subjects for their participation.
California Lutheran University has seen remarkable growth since its founding in 1959. The university keeps pace with the changing needs of students while remaining true to its mission: to educate leaders for a global society who are strong in character and judgment, confident in identity and vocation, and committed to service and justice. Our Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation demonstrates the university’s commitment to living out its mission within the changing context of student demographics.
The 225-acre main campus in Thousand Oaks is home to a dynamic liberal arts and sciences university with 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students who represent a diversity of faiths and cultures. Cal Lutheran has other locations in Westlake Village, Oxnard and Santa Maria, as well as Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley.
Cal Lutheran offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs through the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Management, Graduate School of Education, Graduate School of Psychology, School for Professional and Continuing Studies and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Forty-one majors and 41 minors are offered in the traditional undergraduate program.