CBU president receives high honor from Boy Scouts
Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of California Baptist University, addresses the audience after receiving his Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the
Boy Scouts of America on March 20. Mike Goldware (in background), a member of the
Mt. Rubidoux District Distinguished Citizen Dinner committee, presented the award to Ellis.
Riverside, Calif. (March 21, 2019) – Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, president of California Baptist University, received the national Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America during the Mt. Rubidoux District’s annual award banquet on March 20. Some 180 people, including scouts, government officials and business people, attended the event held at CBU.
“As an Eagle Scout, [Dr. Ellis] continued to serve his community, his nation and his God, and has distinguished himself as a civic, academic, entrepreneurial and pastoral leader,” Mike Goldware, a member of the Mt. Rubidoux District Distinguished Citizen Dinner committee, said when making the special presentation.
Ellis said he was honored and humbled to receive the award.
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award is given to an individual who has earned the rank of Eagle Scout at least 25 years prior to nomination and distinguished himself in his chosen field of endeavor beyond a local area. Only two others from the greater Riverside region previously have been honored as Distinguished Eagle Scouts.
Nationally, other recipients of the DESA include President Gerald R. Ford, astronaut Neil Armstrong and Rex Tillerson, former ExxonMobil CEO and U.S. secretary of state.
The CBU president also received the 2019 Distinguished Citizen Award from the Mt. Rubidoux District. The award is bestowed each year on individuals who have demonstrated a deep commitment and service to the community. Previous Mt. Rubidoux District Distinguished Citizen honorees include Assemblyman Jose Medina, Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey and Riverside Police Chief Sergio Diaz.
“Dr. Ellis exemplifies the values that Boy Scouts promotes,” said Tracy Youden, of California Inland Empire Council-BSA.
Since becoming the fifth president of CBU in 1994, Ellis has guided the university to incredible growth across the institution’s 10 colleges and professional schools that offer more than 150 undergraduate majors, minors and concentrations. Enrollment has grown from 808 in 1994 to 10,486 in 2018. The budget has grown from $11 million to $321 million.
New construction, renovation of existing facilities and property acquisitions have dramatically transformed CBU’s campus during the Ellis presidency. Among the new buildings are the 5,050-seat Events Center and the three story, 100,000 sq. ft. Dennis and Carol Troesh Engineering Building. CBU’s first five-level parking garage is scheduled for completion in 2019.