Dr. Ronald L. Ellis

Dr. Ronald L. Ellis speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new engineering building on Dec. 14.

Riverside, Calif. (Dec. 14, 2016) – California Baptist University broke ground on its 100,000-square-foot engineering building on Dec. 14. More than 250 faculty, staff and friends attended the groundbreaking ceremony held between The Cottages and the business and music buildings.

Steve Davidson, chair of CBU board of trustees, gave a welcome message and prayer.

“This is the next great step forward for the development of CBU,” Davidson said.

Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president, said this was another “wow” event in the history of CBU.

“Every generation has its own challenges, its own opportunities, and we’re just at that point where it’s our turn to grab the baton and run and run and run and do well and be faithful and to hand it off to the next generation,” Ellis said. “The Lord continues to bless as we continue to walk with our eyes focused on Christ. We also have to roll up our sleeves be smart and work hard.” 

Gordon Bourns, chairman and CEO of Bourns Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of electronic components, shared his excitement of the new building project.

“CBU interns and employees that we hire not only have outstanding engineering skills, but they also have the character and communication ability to make a positive impact on our company,” said Bourns. The Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering bears his and his wife’s names.

College of Engineering groundbreaking ceremonyParticipants in the ceremonial groundbreaking for the engineering building at California Baptist University include (from left): Ryan Gibeault, Steve Davidson, Dr. Anthony Donaldson, Jill Bourns, Gordon Bourns, Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, Bill Johnson, Sue Johnson, Brian Jaramillo and Nathan Kim.

“We are preparing students of competence and character who are informed by a Christian worldview, who are called to serve, equipped to lead, and sent to engage the world with their lives in the appropriate use of technology,” said Dr. Anthony Donaldson, dean of the College of Engineering.

 The three-story building is targeted for completion in the summer of 2018. Plans for the innovative building design will feature two blocks of classroom, faculty and administrative space bracketing a massive engineering hall, providing multipurpose space for labs, projects, exhibits, presentations and student collaboration, as well as an interactive studio for K-12 STEM education.

 

Contact CBU Marketing and Communication

Vice President for Marketing and Communication:
Angela Meluski
Email: ameluski@calbaptist.edu

8432 Magnolia Avenue
Riverside, CA 92504