College of Behavioral and Social Sciences honored as community partner

Pictured above from left to right: Mr. Brent Lee, board member of Riverside Unified School District; Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of College of Behavioral and Social Sciences; Jennifer O’Farrell, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire; and Matthew Stowe, board chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters.  

Riverside, Calif. (Feb. 3, 2020) – The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at California Baptist University was honored with a prestigious award from the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire honored the college as its 2019 Partner of the Year. 

In the past five years, the college has collaborated with the organization in a variety of ways.  For instance, CBU students have served as mentors in the program; CBU Master of Social Work students serve as interns for Big Brothers Big Sisters; and faculty members at CBU have provided staff training on various issues. Additionally, the Center for the Study of Human Behavior at CBU is helping the organization identify positive outcomes from its mentoring program. The partnership has also provided children and their families in the program opportunities to visit CBU for a campus tour.

“The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences has come around us to support our mission,” said Jennifer O’Farrell, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire. “The faculty and students are fantastic.”

Dr. Jacqueline Gustafson, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, has been on the nonprofit’s regional board for five years.

“Our partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters and CBU demonstrates a commitment to working across sectors for the common good,” Gustafson said. “Together, we can be the difference, one culture, one community and one person at a time.”

Michael Houlihan, a social work graduate student who interns with Big Brothers Big Sisters, said his experience has been beneficial to his professional development. Houlihan said he has learned skills such as interpersonal communication, documentation and case management.

Dr. Nathan Iverson, assistant professor of psychology, has been a big brother for three years.

“It has been a tremendously rewarding experience to get to know a young man in our neighborhood. His life has been far from easy, and it has been an honor to be a friend with him through this season,” Iverson said. “I know no other organization that such a small commitment can have such a large impact.”